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Poll: Would You Abort?

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Originally posted by: darkxshade
Originally posted by: Proprioceptive
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This kid is living proof that down syndrome cannot, in my opinion, be a factor in considering an abortion.
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For every one success story, there are probably hundreds if not thousands more that's proof that it should be a factor in considering abortion.
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This is true... but in my opinion... I just can't take that chance.
 
I dont think Down's Syndrome is necessarily bad enough to warrant an abortion, but I wouldnt blame anyone if they went that way.

Now I know this guy who had a pregnant wife, and it was discovered that the fetus had a serious defect or disease or something, and doctors repeatedly suggested abortion because the likelihood of the child living even *days* was very low.

They wouldnt, on religious grounds, and the wife went through with the pregnancy. The baby survived less than 24 hours. I would have pushed for abortion strongly on that for certain.
 
I don't know if I've met a Downs kid that *didn't* have a heart of gold. It's like they don't have the ability to hate or be mean. I don't think I could hit the abort button. It's decisions like this that that I pretty much burry my head in the sand and turn down any offers for the quad markers and other tests looking for genetic defects.

What would make me reconsider would be something that turned up on a high res sono that showed a horrible physical defect such as malformed heart or missing parts of the brain. Those really do make for terrifying births and major long term health issues if the child survives the birth.
 
lets just say it's a gut-wrenching decision... one that would keep you and your wife up for many nights wondering what you'll ultimately do. My kid is due at the end of next month. We've had two tests done, the more accurate saying everything fine, the less accurate saying there's a higher chance for down syndrome. yes, I'm scared to this day. yes, we wracked our brains about what it is we would do. I don't wish the situation in the OP on anyone.
 
Originally posted by: xSauronx
I dont think Down's Syndrome is necessarily bad enough to warrant an abortion, but I wouldnt blame anyone if they went that way.

Now I know this guy who had a pregnant wife, and it was discovered that the fetus had a serious defect or disease or something, and doctors repeatedly suggested abortion because the likelihood of the child living even *days* was very low.

They wouldnt, on religious grounds, and the wife went through with the pregnancy. The baby survived less than 24 hours. I would have pushed for abortion strongly on that for certain.
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I bet they're still glad they didn't choose abortion. At least they were able to let the child go on God's terms, not some doctor's.
 
Originally posted by: RaistlinZ
Originally posted by: xSauronx
I dont think Down's Syndrome is necessarily bad enough to warrant an abortion, but I wouldnt blame anyone if they went that way.

Now I know this guy who had a pregnant wife, and it was discovered that the fetus had a serious defect or disease or something, and doctors repeatedly suggested abortion because the likelihood of the child living even *days* was very low.

They wouldnt, on religious grounds, and the wife went through with the pregnancy. The baby survived less than 24 hours. I would have pushed for abortion strongly on that for certain.
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I bet they're still glad they didn't choose abortion. At least they were able to let the child go on God's terms, not some doctor's.
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And did they pay for the tens of thousands of extra dollars in tests and care that allowing this doomed birth to go forward cost, or did their insurance company, meaning, finally, everyone else?

In order to still make a profit, did their insurance company DENY someone else an expensive experimental procedure which might at least have had a chance of saving that person's life?

NONE of these decisions are made in some personal, zero cost, praise Yahweh vacuum.
 
Originally posted by: princess ida
Are the screenings really that accurate these days?

A friend has a Down's kid. He's not a vegetable. You never really know what kind of child you're going to get. And what if the testing was wrong?
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Initial screenings are less accurate; I believe the best first trimester screening method is around 90% accurate.

But a positive screen is followed up by a test on the amniotic fluid, which is close to 100% accurate. You either have a 21st chromosome or you don't.

BTW, Wiki says that around 92% of positive screens for Down's Syndrome are followed by an abortion. ATOT is about 12% more pro-life, so far.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: princess ida
Are the screenings really that accurate these days?

A friend has a Down's kid. He's not a vegetable. You never really know what kind of child you're going to get. And what if the testing was wrong?
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Initial screenings are less accurate; I believe the best first trimester screening method is around 90% accurate.

But a positive screen is followed up by a test on the amniotic fluid, which is close to 100% accurate. You either have a 21st chromosome or you don't.

BTW, Wiki says that around 92% of positive screens for Down's Syndrome are followed by an abortion. ATOT is about 12% more pro-life, so far.
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You seem well educated on this. What would you do if you were personally faced with this knowledge?

Myself, no abortion. I could not kill my child.
 
Tough call. Assuming the conditions in OP, I'd probably abort. Maybe get the test done a third time with a different doctor just to be sure. It's not so much a matter or eugenics as the quality of life the kid will have. Even with the best parents/family in the world, that kid is going to have a difficult life. I wouldn't wish a developmental disability on anyone, especially of that magnitude. Why should I wish it on my unborn child?
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
You seem well educated on this. What would you do if you were personally faced with this knowledge?

Myself, no abortion. I could not kill my child.
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I would recommend abortion in this specific case.

But it's just a recommendation. I can't imagine what the mother's thought process would be, but it would obviously be different than my own.

Timing also plays a big part in the decision. Catching it early in the first trimester is a lot different than finding out in the second trimester, even though you can abort in both cases.
 
Otoh, faced with this decision, I honestly don't know what I would do.

One problem known to family therapists and psychologists is that a "special needs" childs can easily warp the dynamics of any family with other children to the point where those other children are seriously hurt by unmeant neglect and the pressure to be "saintly" and "perfect" at too young an age.

Just saying, any such decision comes with a host of costs.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: moshquerade
You seem well educated on this. What would you do if you were personally faced with this knowledge?

Myself, no abortion. I could not kill my child.
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I would recommend abortion in this specific case.

But it's just a recommendation. I can't imagine what the mother's thought process would be, but it would obviously be different than my own.

Timing also plays a big part in the decision. Catching it early in the first trimester is a lot different than finding out in the second trimester, even though you can abort in both cases.
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And if it were your child?
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
And if it were your unborn fetus?
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You mean if my wife was pregnant and asked me for a recommendation? I would recommend abortion.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: moshquerade
And if it were your unborn fetus?
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You mean if my wife was pregnant and asked me for a recommendation? I would recommend abortion.
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late term abortion if it got to that point, or would that change your decision?

what if your wife was opposed to your recommendation? would it be cause for divorce if she had the child?
 
No way. I know of a family with a kid with down's, and he's actually quite an active fun kid.

Killing kids FTL.

Shame on all you for aborting :disgust:
 
Hard to say, but I think I would recommend it. I know myself well enough to know that I'm not strong enough to properly raise a Down's kid. Really isn't an easy adoption situation either.

I was considering going into genetic counseling a few years ago and during the research, interviews with program directors, counselors students, etc, you find this to be a big topic. Such situations are rather common, and abortion seems to be happening more and more. One thing that I was shocked to find out is that many parents choose to abort based on gender. In the US....crazy.
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
late term abortion if it got to that point, or would that change your decision?
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It might. Psychologically, it's a lot easier to recommend abortion early in a pregnancy. 88% of abortions are done before the 13th week; only 1.5% are done after the 21st week.

The difference between first and second trimester abortions is the difference between recommending the abortion of this vs. this. It has a lot to do with your view on life and when it begins (which I think is a personal decision).

what if your wife was opposed to your recommendation? would it be cause for divorce if she had the child?
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Of course not.
 
Some of the people I know with Downs', despite their challenges in life, are the happiest people I've ever met. They are fully capable of love and enjoyment in life. May be more work for me as the parent, but if I chose to abort I would have to do so knowing that I was doing it for my own selfish reasons and not truly out of concern for my child.

No, I would not abort. It is not for me to judge the quality of that unborn child's life. I have a genetically-passed disease (rheumatoid arthritis) and I would not have wanted to be aborted, despite the pain, challenges and heartbreak it causes. The value of my life is not changed by my disability; the value of my life is defined by who I have chosen to be and how I have chosen to act in the circumstances that surround me.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: moshquerade
late term abortion if it got to that point, or would that change your decision?
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It might. Psychologically, it's a lot easier to recommend abortion early in a pregnancy. 88% of abortions are done before the 13th week; only 1.5% are done after the 21st week.

The difference between first and second trimester abortions is the difference between recommending the abortion of this vs. this. It has a lot to do with your view on life and when it begins (which I think is a personal decision).

what if your wife was opposed to your recommendation? would it be cause for divorce if she had the child?
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Of course not.
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now this is going to get real personal. i can understand if you don't want to answer. what if you were that down's syndrome fetus? what would you want to happen to you?
 
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