Reaction to Down’s Fetus Horrifies Mother

“A Scientist’s Painful Lesson in the Human Dynamics of Prenatal Testing,” described by Allan Parachini in his report, “Shadow of a Doubt,” neglects to emphasize that older women who get pregnant do so by choice in order to have the pleasures of having and raising a child. Their postponement of pregnancy is a choice voluntarily made. The health consequences are under their voluntary control as compared to the consequences wreaked on those of the same age who may suffer all manner of diseases requiring medical attention. Perhaps what the report is really saying is that better education in our schools is needed in order to inform women, and men, of the increased risks of pregnancy at an advanced age which becomes significant over 35 for women and over 50 for men.

The interesting consequence of the attention given to prenatal diagnosis in women over age 35 years is that an increasing number of children with congenital defects that could be diagnosed prenatally are now occurring in younger women, for they are considered low-risk and not offered the possibility of prenatal diagnosis for the risk of the test exceeds the risk of having such a baby.

Far more fortunate is Susan Hodge who was able to choose abortion as compared to a younger woman who may not have had the benefit of prenatal diagnosis. How fortunate was Susan Hodge to have already two healthy normal children born when she was 30 and 33 years old and that the Down’s pregnancy was not her first, and maybe last chance, at having a baby.

SYLVAIN FRIBOURG

Panorama City