New prenatal blood tests can check fetal DNA, raising ethical questions

[deafgal]

Soon a simple blood test will be able to tell newly pregnant women if they are carrying a child with Down syndrome - raising the prospect, and perhaps peril, of a world with fewer imperfections.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-prenatal-blood-fetal-dna-ethical.html

 

[vaniilla]

something like this is so personal, it's the parents that face the choices and they shouldn't be judged for whichever choice they make, I think its great that a blood test will be able to give parents a piece of mind if they want to be able to make an informed decision without the risks an amnio brings, all medical advances have been judged at one point or other, ivf for example, all ethical things are a matter of belief, and just because we don't all have the same beliefs doesn't mean that they're better than other peoples beliefs.

 

[Eve]

I personally feel if it's detected early enough, the better. Not that I think termination is the best option for everyone by no means, but I've read of terminations happening later in pregnancy due to downs syndrome and if anything, earlier is better.

 

[Sarahkka]

I think we may be walking the line here on BnB's forum rules of topic discussion; however, I would say that this is only "new" in that it offers earlier testing.
It doesn't change the fact that this is a personal and private decision for parents to make and we should not assume that this decision is ever made lightly.

 

[Laura2919]

I dont think its necessarily a bad thing. For me, if I were to be pregnant I would rather know that, I wouldnt get rid of my child but it would help me prepare for a life with a child with a disability and like above poster said if someone did want to abort their child it wouldnt be past 5 months. I have my own reasons for not wanting to abort my child but some people really dont think they can do it and we shouldnt force their decisions

 

[Lightworker]

As Sarahakka said I think the crux of this debate, especially for those like me that wouldn't necessarily agree with earlier testing boils down to the banned topic of termination.

Yeah I am against it, only in so far as it causes a negative outcome for the foetus. x

 

[midori1999]

I think it's very sad that we live in a world that doesn't truly embrace diversity and this is just another symptom of it.

People want the 'perfect' child. They want to tell people how clever their child is, how quickly their baby is putting weight on, how quickly they learn to do things, how early they walked, how attractive/pretty/cute they are...

Plenty of people feel it is fine for someone not to want a 'disabled' child, but it's not fine for them to want a certain gender, or hair colour. Surely it's either OK to chose the child you want, or it's not?

There's nothing 'wrong' with people with Downs Syndrome, they are different to the majority of society, yet people insist on seeing that as a fault.

 

[Blah11]

I think its easy enough to say theres nothing wrong with having a child with downs syndrome when you aren't going through it. Some children with downs go on to lead normal lifes, live independantly and work, others however are really quite disabled. I have a friend who is 32 now and has a 7 year old with DS. She finds it really difficult (he has heart issues and he still acts like a toddler) and although she wouldnt change him for the world, I don't think the idea of these blood checks are that bad.

 

[Sarahkka]

I agree, Blah. There's a large spectrum there.
For myself, I would certainly be having a good think if I knew I was facing certain medical conditions. I mean, if you found out that your baby had a condition that was usually fatal and very painful, that's not an easy decision for a parent to face. I am very thankful that I have never been in that position and I most certainly do not judge the decisions of those who have faced that.

 

[indy and lara]

Absolutely no-one will ever truly know what they will do unless they are in that situation. I have many friends who have had terminations due to ethical reasons. It is not something people decide upon lightly. It is without a doubt easier to cope with ASN at birth if you are prepared.

 

[midori1999]

I should probably point out that one of my sons has Downs Syndrome and was born with a heart condition that required surgery.

I can only say I am glad I didn't know when I was pregnant, it would have seemed a much bigger deal than it actually is.

 

[indy and lara]

It is a very personal thing though isn't it? Some people cope with whatever is thrown at them while others need time to mull it over before they can face it. The problem with knowledge though is that once you have it you can never forget what you know.

 

[Blah11]

I should probably point out that one of my sons has Downs Syndrome and was born with a heart condition that required surgery.

I can only say I am glad I didn't know when I was pregnant, it would have seemed a much bigger deal than it actually is.

Having a low risk screening then finding out at the age of 25 that your baby you've just given birth to has a disability that will affect them for the rest of their life can't be a nice experience. I'm pretty sure that it's a hell of a lot easier if you know in advance and can prepare yourself.
The 20 week and NT scans have only been introduced here in the last 2 years or so before that you just got a normal dating scan at 12 weeks.

 

[indy and lara]

I should probably point out that one of my sons has Downs Syndrome and was born with a heart condition that required surgery.

I can only say I am glad I didn't know when I was pregnant, it would have seemed a much bigger deal than it actually is.

Having a low risk screening then finding out at the age of 25 that your baby you've just given birth to has a disability that will affect them for the rest of their life can't be a nice experience. I'm pretty sure that it's a hell of a lot easier if you know in advance and can prepare yourself.
The 20 week and NT scans have only been introduced here in the last 2 years or so before that you just got a normal dating scan at 12 weeks.

Thar is a good point. We had to pay to have a 20 week scan privately in 2008 and NT was only available privately too. When I had Emma in 2009 NT was still not being done by the hospital.

 

[Blah11]

Yeah, I had to pay for my 20 week scan with amelie. This time, I was SUPPOSED to get a NT scan but the radiographer forgot as its so new so I had no nuchal fold measurement and had to get the quad test for my screening at 16 weeks.

 

[midori1999]

I should probably point out that one of my sons has Downs Syndrome and was born with a heart condition that required surgery.

I can only say I am glad I didn't know when I was pregnant, it would have seemed a much bigger deal than it actually is.

Having a low risk screening then finding out at the age of 25 that your baby you've just given birth to has a disability that will affect them for the rest of their life can't be a nice experience. I'm pretty sure that it's a hell of a lot easier if you know in advance and can prepare yourself.
The 20 week and NT scans have only been introduced here in the last 2 years or so before that you just got a normal dating scan at 12 weeks.

I can't speak for anyone else, of course, but my experience wasn't that different to your friend's. I had the screening test, it came back low risk and I didn't give it a second thought. No-one even realised my son had Downs until he was a day old, one paediatrician had said we could go home after doing his newborn checks and not realising. I was 27.

Would it have been easier if I had known in advance? I doubt it tbh. (again, I can't speak for everyone). Downs is a pretty well known 'disability' and people have many misconceptions and pre-concieved ideas about it. That is probably the main reason over 90% of those who discover they are carrying a baby with Downs decide not to continue with their pregnancy. I have known quite a few adults with Downs and had I found out when I was pregnant, I am not sure what my decision would have been. I would have thought I couldn't cope (I am quite a selfish person) my pregnancy hadn't been planned anyway, and I definitely would have thought it wasn't fair on the two sons I already had at home. (they would strongly disagree that it is!)

I think people who have the testing antenatally see the 'disability' first, one you have the child, you can't help but see your child first.

As for whether Down is even a disability, who says it is? It's only a disability because society says it is. Just like being a wheelchair user is only a disability because society says it is and makes it one, because society is designed for the able bodied.

 

[Blah11]

I'm sure termination on ethical grounds is the most heartbreaking choice someone will ever make But, I still think they should have the choice and prepare themself if they decide to continue with the pregnancy. They can easily decline the tests (like you can do already) if you don't want to know

& Yes, of course that soceity caters for the able bodied because that's the norm and the vast majority of people have no disability
I think the tables are changing with how people perceive disabilities though and that includes down syndrome

 

[Ashley8806]

My only thoughts are will these be accurate? Because the tests the currently have, the NT screen, etc, are known to not be very accurate. I know of 3 people personally who had results saying they had a high chance of having a DS baby, one even went on to have the amnio saying their baby did in fact have DS, and their babies were born without it. I would just hate for these new tests to come out and have them be as inaccurate as the current ones, causing a lot of unnecessary termination or stress to new parents.


That being said, if these are accurate, I think they would be a good idea. It is a personal decision on whether someone would further the pregnancy or terminate, but it would help those who decide to continue get the education they need and prepare for a special needs child, or those who decide to have an ethical termination do so.

 

[deafgal]

I am for pro-choice, only the individual know what they can handle. I just hope people don't go around saying" she's selfish for not aborting that disabled child"(yes, I heard/read people write that sort of thing,, especially toward the infamous sarah palin). I think it is a form of abuse when people say that. Anyway here's more to read: https://yourlife.usatoday.com/paren...atal-DNA-testing-open-Pandoras-box/48285646/1

 

[Eve]

Just read through and there are some great points in this thread Good read!