Down Syndrome Test Poses Ethical Questions
A test that can detect Down’s syndrome from the blood of pregnant women, which would be the first reliable noninvasive prenatal test for the chromosomal disorder, has raised the prospect of routine screening for the condition for every expectant mother who wants it.
The experimental procedure, developed in Hong Kong, has been shown to diagnose 90 percent of Down’s syndrome cases in a small trial, while also correctly identifying 97 percent of fetuses that do not have the condition.
If its accuracy can be improved and it is validated in larger patient trials, which scientists believe should take three to five years, it would transform prenatal testing for Down’s.
At present this is provided only for women at high risk of having a Down’s baby because the current procedure is invasive and can cause a miscarriage. It requires amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS), which involve inserting a needle into the womb to remove amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus, or a small piece of the placenta.
Tags: amniocentesis, CVS, Down Syndrome, ethics, fetus, prenatal tests
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Remember Teri Schiavo?
I have a 3 1/2 grandaughter with Down, and I can even imagine her not being a part of my life.
She is a living Angel who emits total love to all. How does one abort such a gift?
John Dionne
It is sad that people with Down are not considered acceptable to be alive. They are innocent people that can bring a lot of joy into a family’s life….so sad
Genetic testing could be used to benefit the outcome of the preborn child. However, much of the testing results in a search and destroy mission. Babies who are tested positive for Downs have nearly a 90% mortality rate. These numbers are quite staggering considering the advancement in treatments with those who have Downs.
Wonder how long before this kind of testing will be mandatory. Wonder how long before insurance companies refuse to cover the care of babies with Down syndrome…after all, “you were aware that you’ll have a disabled child. You could have prevented society from this financial burden - if you chose to not to, do it on your own”.
Am I the only one being paranoid or are we slowly marching into this Brave, New world? Where disabled people are not worthy of living? Then which group will not be worthy of living as a next target, “fat” people? Blondes? Perhaps entire races?
I’ve been working with disabled children (also Downs) and they are truly a blessing to their families and communities. More of a blessing than a “perfect” Britney Spears. God save us from living in a world where we must be “perfect” or we must die.
I am a mother of a daughter with Down syndrome. By the way, it is Down syndrome not Down’s. The emphasis is on the person not the condition. It is a condition not an affliction or a suffering. Unfortunately, society does devalue people with disabilities, which is quite disturbing. God made all people different. Different sizes, shapes, colors. What human being has the right to play God. If you don’t want your child, put him/her up for adoption. There are lots of people who want to adopt children with Down syndrome. The possibilities are unlimited for individuals with Down syndrome. My daughter is in a typical dance class (tap, ballet), a typical school, and will be playing on a typical soccer team. I plan for her to graduate high school with a diploma (not a modified one), graduate college, get a job that allows her not to depend on public assistance, and if she meets someone, she can get married and live in her own home. Others before her have accomplished all of these things. There is no reason she can not. I did get the diagnosis of Down syndrome pre-natally and I strongly oppose others from doing this now because 94% of those who receive the diagnosis abort. My daughter may learn a little differently, but she is like everyone else. She has a wide aray of emotions. She gets happy, sad, angry, and has likes and dislikes, just like everyone else. She deserves every opportunity that everyone else has, and she, as well as every human being has the right to be valued.