Down Syndrome Babies, An Endangered Species???

Actually, if they were an endangered species they would have much more protection against being killed before birth than they do under current law.

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is the 9th president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary-the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention. Recently, on his blog, he wrote an article entitled Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear? In it he takes a hard look at the down side (no pun intended) of current developments in prenatal testing. & it isn't a pretty picture. For example, a new, more accurate test for trisomy 21 is due to come out next year. It is a simple blood test that poses no risk to the fetus & delivers a definitive diagnosis.

Ironicly this new research is based on work by Dr. Brian Skotko, a clinical genetics fellow at Children's Hospital Boston. Dr. Skotko has a sister with Down syndrome. He has also done research that shows how poorly most doctors deal with discussing this diagnosis with the parents. According to The Washington Post. Dr. Skotko's research indicates that 92 percent of women who learn they are carrying a baby with Down syndrome choose to abort the pregnancy. That is more than 9 out of 10. & with more accurate testing, the sad fact is, that percentage is bound to increase.

Dr. Skotko is aware of this problem. In a 2005 article, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Skotko writes: "Knowing this,(that prenatal testing for Down syndrome presents expectant parents with a simple choice -- continue the pregnancy or abort) health care providers have historically operated under the assumption that if a woman consents to prenatal screening or diagnosing, she must believe that having a child with DS would be an undesired outcome and wish to terminate her pregnancy if such a diagnosis were made prenatally."

In an article published online, ahead of the print edition, in the Archives of Disease in Childhood (one of the British Medical Journal publications) Dr. Skotlo carries this observation to the following conclusion: "Where should our professional organisations draw the line? Should expectant parents be able to select out fetuses with an undesired sex? Should fetuses with genes that predispose them to adult breast cancer be prenatally identified? Should couples in the future be supported if they wish to terminate fetuses with genes correlated with sexual preferences? The age is swiftly coming where not all possible technologic advances may bring welcomed change."

He makes it clear which side of the question he comes down on. "Parents who have children with Down syndrome have already found much richness in life with an extra chromosome. Now is the time for the rest of us to discuss the ethics of our genetic futures." Clearly HE IS SOUNDING THE ALARM. He is warning us of the danger we are facing us as a society. A danger we cannot pretend doesn't exist.

As Dr. Mohler points out: "Given his important research, we had better see a moral crisis looming. The Culture of Death is gaining momentum before our eyes. Who will be next in line to be considered unworthy of life?" That is not an empty question. History has shown us that once a society starts determining who is or ins't worthy, more & more groups begin fitting into the unworthy category. We are well down the road to fullfilling Margaret Sanger's eugenics dream. But it is not too late to turn back. God is giving us the chance. Will we do what we must to ensure that the guidlines needed are dictated by the "Culture of Life"?