Deciding Not to Screen for Down Syndrome
This is an excellent article that succinctly explains my reasons for declining genetic screenings this pregnancy. Unfortunately, the comments took their predictable route. Sigh. I've blogged about this phenomenon before. It's disheartening to see how ignorant and angry the world continues to be.
Nice article. We declined testing and genetic counseling with my last pregnancy, but did have a couple ultrasounds. I used a midwife for my prenatal care and delivery, but the doctor at the hospital where the u/s was done refused to discuss the u/s results with us unless we agreed to speak to a genetic counselor. I never did meet him ;)
ReplyDeleteI read the article and some of the comments afterwards literaly turned my stomach! I just cannot believe that some one would "screen" to not have a baby like mine! That people out there think my beautiful son is not a life worth living!
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed, our children are worth so much more than people can even realize!
I read through the article, I read through 3 pages of comments, none are anything I have not read before, the goodm, bad and the ugly.
ReplyDeleteWhat made me the saddest were the negative comments getting the most recommendations. Oh my heart breaks knowing how many people support those who say they would terminate.
When we had Meghan and she was old enough to sit up in the shopping cart, I used to get inexplicable reactions to her. These women would see her, blanch, and rush in the other direction, it used to offend me until I got the revelation that maybe they had decided to terminate their baby, and seeing Meghan brought their pain back? Most people were very kind and happy to meet my sweet girl. (Now all three of my daughters with Down syndrome)
We did not get prenatal testing and the old perdiatrician we saw after her birth told us to leave her in his office and they would call social services to come and get her. He did not want to burden our kids with her, he said we were both over 40 (41 and 42) and would die before her...yes, he got fired.
I feel great sadness for a world who sees anyone different as a burden.