Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Abortion
This morning I took Jett to the train station so I could have the car for the day (am hoping to visit Effie, and a few other ladies of the congregation for coffee). While we were driving we had the news on and it was blaring an issue that dealt with something sensitive for me. They were speaking of a rise in down syndrome likely caused by older women having children. And they touched on abortion. I hate that word, and everything that deals with it. They were talking about the rates of abortion and possibly an increase of them due to higher rates of down syndrome found in the "fetuses". But what triggered upsetness (if thats a word) was that at the end of the report it was said that "more research needs to be done to find out why women choose NOT to have the screening done during pregnancy" the screening is for down syndrome... hmmm...what a statement! Why is it not this "more research needs to be done to find out why women are wanting to abort precious babies"? Obviously the answer is clear on the latter one, but it should be easily discovered why women don't want the screening done too! Maybe because they have a conscience and want to do what is right, because some women would never ever think of aborting or, shall we say in the proper term, murdering a HUMAN LIFE!? Or maybe it is because they don't care what the child has, because they have been waiting for a baby for such a long time. Or maybe it is all of the above! I think if people had the fear of God within them these things wouldn't need to be "researched". I'm disgusted by our society, disgusted by the sin that is so allowed in our day. When will the tide turn?
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6 comments:
That testing is one of the many reasons I prefer midwifery care here... I don't have to fight to NOT have the testing done! With doctors around here you really have to argue about whether they're going to do ANY tests or not, and I really don't care to have any done (I don't even do blood tests, lol :) ).
I have just this minute reading an online news report of the same thing!! It's awful isn't it, the society we live in is so warped. I was asked why I chose NOT to have the tests done in my pregnancies, and in my first pregnancy it was made clear at the 12 week appointment that abortion was still an option should I chose the tests (not said as bluntly as that but in the same jist). Really not what I expected to hear. Actually when I intitally went to the GP I was asked, and is it good news? As if I was just as likely to have asked for an termination of my baby's life. It really is heartbreaking that this is acceptable to take away life like this, and just a complete routine in some lines of work :-(
I saw this report too - it is so crazy. No amount of screening stops babies having Down Syndrome. It only prevents these children being born.
Screening and tests don't prevent Down Syndrome, and I get irritated when news presenters make it sound as though they do.
I can understand why some people would want to have screening, since if a baby is born with any syndrome or in need of medical treatment then sometimes it is helpful to know that in advance of the birth.
But screening should not equate with termination of pregnancy.
I have a friend who is currently expecting a baby with DS. And I have at least two friends with children with DS.
I don't think anyone should be forced into having screening tests (which are not definitive) nor diagnostic tests (which are).
There is a lot of pressure put on expectant moms where the baby is known in advance to have Downs or any other Syndrome, to have the baby killed before birth.
Hope you enjoyed your visit to Effie - I remember her from my days in Perth, send her my regards.
Yes, it's interesting how heavily weighted the discussion often is in favour of the presumption that women/couples don't want disabled children. Many women must feel pushed into a termination as if it's the only sensible option.
I remembered an article in the Times newspaper from a while ago, and hunted it down - a lady who had an abortion because there didn't seem to be any other option after a scan showed a rare genetic abnormality - but she regretted it.
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article5212421.ece
People with disabilities of one sort or another are increasingly vulnerable in our society - either they're aborted before birth, or their friendly relatives want to euthanise them early, and in the meantime they face all sorts of struggles trying to function with a bit of dignity in mainstream society. A disgrace, is really what it is!
Seems like the CNN has an interesting article on the abortionist and his no 1 foe http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/27/abortion.war/index.html (sorry don't know how to link it) I admit I cried reading the abortionist's comments...absolutely awful!! But I was so pleased to hear someone against these killings.
Yes, I agree, it's all very sad and shocking. I had a rather similar experience as Dawn mentions above, when I was pregnant with Benjamin. I went to the GP to have the pregnancy "confirmed" before being passed on to the midwives and the doctor actually had the nerve to say, If the test comes back positive, are you wanting to continue with the pregnancy!!! I just regret that I didn't give him a piece of my mind (in a sensible way, of course), but I was just toooo shocked by such a question to say much of anything. I was really horrified that it was something up for question! Even from *their* point of view - I was young, healthy, and married - can't see any health or social "reasons" to even mention the idea, aside from the moral reasons, of course! I had a slightly similar experience with Abigail too, in that the GP asked if I was happy about the pregnancy! I'm sure she was meaning the same sort of things as this other doctor, but said in a less bold way. I always refuse any sort of tests, in any form, when I've been pregnant. I feel that a major reason for them is so they can put pressure on you to abort a baby who's "not quite perfect", so I feel there's no need for such tests.
It's really very sad indeed. And if you frequent any parenting message boards, it's shocking how many people talk about abortions as if they are a normal thing to do. People who are married, seem to be happy (at least in a worldly way), have other children, etc. But they just didn't "plan" that child, or it wasn't the right timing, etc.
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