Down Syndrome, Prenatal Genetic Testing and Tough Decisions

Down Syndrome, Prenatal Genetic Testing and Tough Decisions

Choosing whether or not to keep an unborn fetus, after genetic testing shows the child has Down syndrome, is a difficult decision for most women. Genetic testing is a sophisticated diagnostic test used today to determine the health of a fetus. While they are most often prescribed for mothers-to-be over the age of 35, who run the highest risk of having children with birth defects, younger women frequently request them simply to set their minds at ease. When problems are found women are faced with agonizing choices: Terminate the pregnancy or face the risks of bringing a seriously impaired child into the world.
“Each day, genetic tests allow women to learn that the children they carry will be born free of disorders from Down syndrome. But they also mean that, each day, a growing number of parents face the agonizing responsibility of deciding whether their children will be too disabled, too retarded or too chronic...