"In January 2007, ACOG revised its guidelines that now recommend offering fetal chromosomal screening to all pregnant women, regardless of age, because of improvements in low-risk, noninvasive screening methods." ... "What screening test results provide is a risk number. This number indicates the level of risk that the fetus has a genetic problem, based on the woman's age and the test results." The main disadvantage of screening is the potential for false-positives or false-negatives, meaning some fetuses with abnormalities will not be detected, while other, healthy fetuses may wrongly be flagged for Down syndrome. However, invasive diagnostic testing detects 100% of autosomal trisomies, which includes Down syndrome, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13."(1)
Have a guess at what has increased since then? Please bear in mind, we're not just talking about life threatening complications, some are quite trivial, and many are easily corrected, e.g. cleft palate or lip. Sometimes, its a matter of not wanting a particular gender for their child, even without a genetically linked debilitating disease or other medical reason. Our culture is becoming one of designer babies. I'm sure there are those who even want it mandatory for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Or forced sterilization.
What gets me is very few are mentioning adoption. Is it that out of fashion that nearly everyone just jumps to abortion? My parents were both adopted and met as adults. I know of several families that have previously adopted, and some who plan to adopt in the future. If an individual is freaking out at the possibility of a special needs child, why not look into adopting out? For example, I remember when I was in 5th or 6th grade that the life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome had reached nearly 30. Last year I read that it was 50. Many are living full lives, including getting married and having their own children. Why deny them that?
Myself, I do not want perfect designer babies. I do not want to search out problems that most likely aren't there in the first place. I accept my children as they are given to me. If something were to show up during a routine ultrasound, I would consent to a more in depth one, to clarify and confirm what we would be dealing with. I would not agree to any testing that has the risk of miscarriage. After previously suffering that fate a few times, I couldn't handle doing something to cause it on purpose. Remember, not all "defects" are visible, what we do or don't do for our children will affect them on a level that can't be quantified on a blood test or ultrasound.
Full disclosure: I have had a couple ultrasounds during each pregnancy, mainly to verify viability, the midterm check of development, and for placental issues. I have completed the normal 1st and 3rd trimester blood work with each of my pregnancies. I have not consented to or participated in additional blood work or testing during any of my pregnancies. All of my children completed the mandatory newborn screening blood work.
(1) Article found here.
1 comments:
It bothers me too that everyone jumps to abortion. Plus with testing being wrong sometimes what happens if you terminate a perfectly healthy baby? I guess one would not know but to me the what ifs are to much for me to even think of termination...even if I wasn't Mormon!! I think I would refuse this testing although I did get the required testing during my pregnancies also. As for baby testing we got it too but in MI they do not require any testing...strange to me!! Thanks for sharing!!
Post a Comment