Down Syndrome (prenatally diagnosed) justifies abortion?

[Ophelianime]

abprtion is wrong evenif the babies might be handicapped  

[Shenyu]

Quote:

Yes, I am aware that children with mental disabilities are difficult to take care of but a healthy child can be equally difficult.
What if they behave extremely bad?
What if they are lazy and mooch off their families their whole lives?

I don't think you can compare a biological defect with one who you develop in your life. I mean, if you are lazy you can change that by yourself. And you always have a choice if you kill someone or don't. But I don't think anyone managed to cure himself from the down-syndrom.

Children with mental disabilities do need special treatments. Because if they do not get that they will die from the inside. They can do a lot of stuff if you have the time and the ability to support them.
A friend of mine has a brother who is about 3 years old. He will go to a special kindergarten which is far away. So he will need a driver every morning. And of course it is not cheap. Of course the state will support the family with money, but this is not enough.
So I think there are good reasons why someone could think he will not be able to give the baby a life that it deserves. And that does not mean, being "parked" like an old car...

I think abortion is an option, but you should NEVER EVER think "Oh, I don't want that life junk, get it away from me", but doubt that many people do think so. Maybe I am too optimistic, but I believe that most people who choose an abortion in that case, think that they cannot handle it. And there cannot be happy children without happy parents.

In case of the "wrong diagnosis". I would like to know how many diagnoses were right. I mean we heard examples for wrong ones, but I would like to know for how many children they said they would be disabled and which actually were when they were born.
It's not like I would not believe you, but I know that bad news spread faster than "good" (if you can call them so in that case) ones.  

[Iconoclast Enthusiast]

I don't think you're justified in denouncing this process just because you know of one instance of a misdiagnosis. Humans are human, and therefore susceptible to error. No process governed by humans will be without flaws or mistakes. However, does that mean we should give up on everything, just because we can't make it perfect?

As for aborting babies because they are diagnosed with a disease, I can see reasons for making a decision either way, which is why I think the decision should be left to the mother.

I am pro-choice, and I think everyone should be, because whether or not YOU want an abortion, you should recognize that not everyone feels the same way you do and you should acknowledge that the choice is theirs, not yours.  

[bighairy dog]

I believe that if a pregnant women finds out she is going to have a child with down syndrome and she believes she can care for the child more power to her! But if a women finds out she is going to have a down syndrome child and she cant take care of it ( because maybe shes poor or somthing) then she should have the right to abort. No women should be stuck in a situation where they have a child they cant support or cant take care of.  

[Lokhen]

Hmmm... Let the nature take its course!?  

[Ra1k1ra_Kakashi SnJ]

bighairy dog

I believe that if a pregnant women finds out she is going to have a child with down syndrome and she believes she can care for the child more power to her! But if a women finds out she is going to have a down syndrome child and she cant take care of it ( because maybe shes poor or somthing) then she should have the right to abort. No women should be stuck in a situation where they have a child they cant support or cant take care of.

I agree with you there. ^-^ I can't state my beliefs for sure, because I don't know how a person with down syndrome thinks. My cousin has down syndrome, and he causes his parents constant worry, although they love him. He doesn't know how to fear death, because it seems that he does not understand the concept of injury or death; so he gets himself into doing dangerous things. If a person with down syndrome can barely function, then he or she can't quite shape their own future, can they? They'll always need someone around, or they'd die on their own; so if a woman doesn't believe she can support a child with down syndrome, and the down syndrome has been surely verified, I think it's okay for her to abort. I'm pro-choice, and priority should go to those who are already... hm... how do I say this...? Here, outside a mother's womb.  

[ushiyasha]

O.o so many people all pro life.... I feel like i must be so abnormal lmao
I would not keep a child if there was a extremly high chance of there being a major disability not even to give him/her up for adoption seeing as how id have to pay for the hospital bills anyways.... as if are economy doesnt suck in the US the way it is ... i cant afford that , and there are too many people in this world already and too many people leeching off the government ... the fact that they have to live if they are going to be born into a life of being differnt and incapable makes me sad... i would rather not live myself and nature would not let such a animal exist so why should a human? i know some people veiw it as a gift to raise a child that will always need you but it just wouldnt be right for me gonk
also O.o im completly non religious and have lots of questions about what happens after death O.o if the answer is rebirth i say abort
if this is the only life you get.... then dont abort >.> but i dont know that lol
if you go to a better place abort
my opinion on this matter could very depending on lots of things but I fear having a disabled child.... and atm having a child at all O.O xp  

[Iconoclast Enthusiast]

I say yes. I think it's a choice the mother would weigh very heavily, and I respect her right to do what she thinks is best for herself, her family, and the fetus.  

[Thundurr]

Dolix Pullo

HELL NO! a life's a life, no matter what quality it is!

I disagree.
I believe there's a point where it stops being life, and becomes just existance,
In which case, I think it would be better for everyone if the child was to be terminated.  

[mara love queen]

If the doctor made a mistake and you got an abortion for nothing that would be like telling her 2 kill them. No matter what I believe that if you have a child that child is yours to take care of. I would hate it if my mom said she almost didn't have me because I would be mentally handicap. It's not right! But then again we have to consider that maybe the woman isn't ready. Which in this case even if it is handicap she should put it up for adoption! Even though a child is mentally handicap it doesn't mean it shouldn't be loved!  

[KylaiaJmaa]

Yes... and no.

I an pro-choice, and always have been, but if a mother wouldn't have gotten an abortion anyway I don't think that's right. If the mother was going to have the child and then finds out that they have downs syndrome, and wants to abort, I don't think that's right. If the woman couldn't even support a regular child, then I think the abortion is justified whether the child has a defect or not. Personally, I'd rather a child spend the whole of existannce in hevean than spend all of life in living h***.