[Hajman]

Doctors can diagnose with absolute certainty at least one condition that I know of that is not treatable and certain to result in death within days if not hours of birth-- hydro-encephaly (water on the brain); it can be diagnosed in the 4th or 5th month.

What I'd be interested in seeing how accurate these diagnoses are. I've read of many such things (such as retardation, physical problems, etc) that only holds up to a medium percentage of cases. In other words...many times, they're just plain wrong. This is why many pro-lifers won't accept these kind of diagnoses, because there might be a chance they could turn out incorrect (it's happend many times before), and the abortion would kill someone that wouldn't have died before.

-The Hajman-

[walden]

Amniocentesis (sp?) can diagnose many conditions with absolute certainty. If you're interested, go do your own research-- I did mine when I had my children fifteen years ago. (Don't forget-- childbirth itself carries both immediate and long-term risks for the mother, which, however small, must be weighed against the even smaller risk of a mis-diagnosis.) The technology has only gotten better since then. Moreover, for hard-line right-to-lifers, that's ONLY the baby's right to life-- for all they care the mother's can die right and left, no problem. I have a major problem with this attitude.

The way I figure it, God gave us brains as well as hearts and intended us to use both. Sophisticated moral judgments aren't the easiest course, which is exactly why the fanatics aren't willing to make them. That's a serious moral failing right there.