Monday, October 17, 2011

More Harm than Good

In case you didn't know this about me...I am pro-life.  Adamantly!  As in abortion is wrong; no exceptions.  We are not God, we do not have the right to choose who is worthy of life.  I bring this up tonight because a new test just come on the market today that can (in theory) accurately and non-invasively diagnose Down syndrome as early as 10 weeks gestation.  *disclaimer, I do not and never will judge someone who tests with the full intention of keeping the baby, rather for information...for a wonderful example go here*  I see nothing good about this test.  I am not going to rationalize or sugar coat anything here.  This test is designed to allow women to find out their unborn child has Down syndrome in time for an early termination.  Early enough that the pregnancy does not even need to be revealed.  Early enough that you could pretend it's not really a baby.  There is nothing good here.  I know that some will say that not all women want to abort.  That they just want to prepare themselves.  And this is true.  And I am glad that not everyone will use it to end a life.  But that does not make it a good thing.  This test will do far more harm than good.  Women who do not find out their child has Down syndrome before it is born will be ok.  I am.  So are many others I know.  Babies who are terminated because their mothers are told it is undesirable and can be detected early and easily will not be okay.  They will no longer be.  I am blunt I know, but to marginalize this does no good.

2 comments:

Shannon said...

Well said, this test makes me sad and I have been sick over it for months. Denmark claimed it will be down syndrome free by 2020 thanks to this test. Sickening

The Happy Half Dozen said...

I just blogged about this test too. Honestly I really want the test..knowing that I have no intentions of disposing of him one way or another but I really struggle with allowing myself to do it because it really isn't a test I ethically or monetarily want to support.