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Down Syndrome on Decline as Moms Abort

Trend bucks statistics, raises fears that funding will dry up

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 2, 2009 1:26 PM CST
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(Newser) – With women waiting longer to have children, the number of Down syndrome cases in the US ought to be on the rise—advanced maternal age increases Down syndrome risk. But instead it fell 15% from 1989 to 2005, ABC News reports. The reason: prenatal screenings. Roughly 92% of women who received a prenatal diagnosis for Down syndrome terminated the pregnancy, according to research from one Boston geneticist.

Were it not for the prenatal screenings, the geneticist estimates that the number of Down births would have spiked 34%. Down syndrome advocates worry that the trend will hurt funding for research into the condition, and say parents are depriving themselves of the “gift” of raising such a child. “Women have their own choice, but they don't realize what they have given up,” says one mother. “What if we don't like brown eyes anymore?”

Sarah and Todd Palin hold their baby boy, Trig, in Anchorage, Alaska. Palin's fifth child was born April 18 with Down syndrome.
Sarah and Todd Palin hold their baby boy, Trig, in Anchorage, Alaska. Palin's fifth child was born April 18 with Down syndrome.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo, File)
An ultrasound. As many as 92% of women terminate pregnancies that test positive for Down syndrome.
An ultrasound. As many as 92% of women terminate pregnancies that test positive for Down syndrome.   (AP Photo/University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. James Stein, HO)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 21 comments
Circusdog
Nov 4, 2009 4:17 AM CST
@Heisenberg. Yes I could get hit by a bus tomorrow. But unlike you I'm a responsible adult and have made provisions for my children upon my untimely death. I also have family and friends that would step in on a moments notice to do almost anything for my son...not out of guilt or that they feel sorry for him because it's simply the right thing to do.
orchide87
Nov 3, 2009 8:06 AM CST
are u related to Hitler in any way?
brawne
Nov 3, 2009 4:20 AM CST
Like Observer, I look at 18 thumbs up for a genetic fricking flaw in a code of DNA, happily embraced by the very people who carry the flaw and wonder would you be so forgiving of the Jews who knew they carried Tay Sachs or the Blacks who knew they carried Sickle cell? How do you thing that humans get rid of genetic crap? Great--love that baby, but if you get hit by a bus tomorrow that baby is screwed. It is rather selfish to birth a child when you know for a fact that its survival depends on you. That is about as self-involved as humans can get. But hey, be so very happy with that baby that will never say no to you, or want to date, or leave you. The rate is dropping because people who have a choice are choosing to not birth dependent forever babies. But, you are so special.

 
abortion • genetic screening • genetic defects • Down Syndrome • women's issues

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