According to prenatal screening expert Eva Alberman, 92% of women who discover their carrying a fetus affected with Down syndrome choose to have an abortion.
The decision to abort a handicap baby is often framed in terms of concern for the child. Those who support killing these babies often say that they are sparing the children a lifetime of suffering. In reality, often the main reason why women abort their down syndrome children is that the children would be an inconvenience for them. Here is one example:
Natalie and Richard are a couple who aborted down syndrome baby late in pregnancy. Natalie gives the following reasons why she aborted:
“A seriously handicapped child takes a lot from your life that you wouldn’t otherwise have to give… We knew that a Down child would require, at best, constant care from us….”
This quote shows that the true reason that many women abort handicapped babies is their own unwillingness to make sacrifices. While this is understandable, there is a waiting list oof people willing to adopt handicap babies, especially babies with Down syndrome. Adoption is a viable option for these babies.
Mary E Williams. Abortion: Opposing Viewpoints (San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 2002) 115
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