An article published to Facebook from ForEveryMom.com showed that advancements in technology to view genetic and pre-natal development have been used to target embryos with Down syndrome.
The author of the article, Jenny Rapson, states that “100% of pregnant women in Iceland abort their babies who have ben pre-natally diagnosed with Down syndrome.” Simply stating, all should have the chance and privilege to have life. Although all are entitled rights to their own body, should there be a certain extent to this “right to one’s body” after learning that abortion is happening to some babies because of who they are? Setting common abortion excuses aside, such as rape, incest, or endangerment to the woman’s life, eliminating someone or a group of people simply because of who they are is genocide.
While pre-natal diagnosing is common today, for the last few years, in fact, Iceland has used pre-natal diagnosing to abort those with Trisomy 21. Annually, approximately 6,000 individuals are born with Down syndrome worldwide, whereas Iceland has not had any Down syndrome births as far back as 2008, according to DownPride.com. The pre-natal diagnosing trend is spreading rapidly about Europe. Countries, such as Great Britain and Holland, are considering to use pre-natal screenings to promote aborting those with a disability, such as Down syndrome. According to the article on ForEveryMom.com, Rapson tells that European governments have issued that caring for those with Down syndrome is too expensive. In Rapson’s article, she referenced a Belgian pediatrician, Patrick Willems, who inferred “a child with Down syndrome cost 1 to 2 million Euros.” Willems also inferred that “preventing the birth of 50 babies with Down syndrome will offset the costs” to further improve the Dutch healthcare system. Simply, wealth and money are slowly becoming the source of all that we are.
Hence, the medical attention and personal care for one with Down syndrome may be burdening to the caregiver, but the reward comes with learning their jubilant, unconditionally-loving character. Many individuals who have Down syndrome can range from a close relative or classmate to a business owner or advocate for a cause. Those with Down syndrome are people- people who have meaning on Earth and make things in life meaningful. If one were to ever encounter someone with Down syndrome, he would discover that that person would be the brightest and happiest soul that he had ever met.
Please save these precious bundles of joy.
