Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Abortion and Down syndrome.

Until this year, only pregnant women 35 and older were routinely tested to see if their fetuses had the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. . . .

About 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a Down syndrome diagnosis have chosen to have an abortion.
NYT. If I recall correctly, more than 10 percent of Americans express pro-life beliefs. Is there some reason to believe that pro-lifers are less likely to be tested for Down syndrome? Maybe they are less likely to give birth after age 35?

In any event, a choice I'm grateful not to have been confronted with.

Comments:
Yes, I think there is a reason. I think those pro-lifers are less likely to have the genetic tests that will tell them if their fetus has some abnormality.

When I was pregnant, I opted for CVS ( a test like amnio, but earlier, that takes cells from the placenta). My OB told me, "Don't take this test if you don't plan on aborting if you find out something is wrong."

I knew what choice I planned to make, so I went ahead with the test.
 
Interesting. That's not the way the conversations with our OBs went.
 
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