Kevin Aylward at Wizbang discusses quite well the ethical problems and questions over amniocentesis and late term abortions. He and his wife decided, when offered amnio, to decline the procedure since it would have no effect on their decision regarding the pregnancy. The topic came up from the story of a woman who made the decision to abort an infant with Down's Syndrome, then has been devastated psychologically since. From Mr. Aylward:
By and large doctors fail to prepare parents for the ethical dilemmas they could face if prenatal tests reveal issues. Getting news about the possibility of genetic abnormalities can throw a parent, a family, or a marriage, into turmoil which the medical profession doesn't even try to address. My belief is that unless you know (in advance) what you'd do with the information an amnio test might provide, you're asking for trouble.
If you don't know what you'd do if a genetic test showed that you had a child with Down's (for example) on the way you'd be better off skipping the tests entirely. If you think you know what you'd do, read that Times article again...
Great advice. You'd better know what you'd do with a problem result, and exactly how you'll feel about it, otherwise the amniocentesis is a meaningless procedure. The one use for it, if you will have the baby anyway, might be so that you can be mentally, physically, and financially prepared for the challenges you'll face down the road.
And if you think late-term abortion is just another medical procedure, have another look at the devastating effect that loss of a child can have, demonstrated by this woman's story.
Adoptions for Down syndrome babies are in demand! There is a waiting list.
Posted by: Zsa zsa | Jun 02, 2005 at 12:07 PM