MOSAIC MOMENTS

Last night, on CBS, Katie Couric did a show on Down syndrome and talked also about the prenatal diagnosis and how that is delivered to families. This comes at a coincidental time when Alaskan Governer, Sarah Palin is in the spotlight along with her baby son, Trig who also has Down syndrome. 

For those who don’t “get” it, have made a big deal about Sarah Palin and how she knew prior to giving birth to her beautiful baby boy about his diagnosis and still chose to keep him! They also make a big deal about Sarah Palin’s age. This is because as a mother grows older, her chances increase to having a baby with Down syndrome, but the only reason why those chance increase is because there are fewer older mothers than there are younger ones. I had my son with mosaic Down syndrome when I was 20 yrs old. I am the majority of parents of children with Ds and mDs.

In a report from  Canada a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the United States completing a Down syndrome pregnancy may prompt other women to make the same decision against abortion because of that genetic abnormality. And thereby reduce the number of abortions.

Published reports in Canada say about 9 out of 10 women given a diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy through abortion.

Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ottawa, worries that Palin’s now renowned decision may cause abortions in Canada to decline as other women there and elsewhere opt to follow suit.

This statement is OUTRAGEOUS to me! This PROVES that doctors around the world are PUSHING for eugenics of those with Down syndrome.

Currently, reports from Canada, America, Spain and the UK, show startling numbers of 90% of babies with Down syndrome being aborted.

Krista Flint is the executive director of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, which says its goal is to foster “a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity, worth and equal rights for ALL people.”

The society now displays a photograph of the happy Palin’s with their baby on its homepage and offers to provide “positive and factual information” for an open discussion of Down syndrome.

However, Flint says doctors usually give couples very dark messages about life with a Down syndrome child.

“We know overwhelmingly the message families get is ‘Don’t have this baby, it will ruin your life,’” Flint says. “And I don’t think people would look at Sarah Palin and see a ruined life. Regardless of politics, I think it’s a good example.”

I agree with Krista Flint and all of those parents who have children with Down syndrome or mosaic Down syndrome. Unless you personally experience having a child with Down syndrome or mosaic Down syndrome you will never understand our position in this plight. And, I get that. I know that people who don’t have this blessing can’t see the world the way we see it. However, if doctors continue to push this eugenics issue, less and less will have the honor to know what it is like to see the world through our eyes.

I have included links of the great news coverage last night from the CBS News with Katie Couric. Maybe this will help others to understand that having a child with Down syndrome or mosaic Down syndrome is not a horrible life. In fact, it is a life worth living.

Learning about Down syndrome as seen on TV

and

Six Minutes of What You didn’t see: Getting the Diagnosis