Every child deserves legal protections just as any other individual, but those who are the most vulnerable naturally need the most protection. Children with Down Syndrome are just as human as anyone else, yet even in their mother’s womb they face a danger far greater than other babies – the high risk of being aborted because of their abnormality.
A recent study out of the University of Cambridge documents early stage embryos with abnormalities may still develop into healthy babies. The study found:
“Abnormal cells in the early embryo are not necessarily a sign that a baby will be born with a birth defect such as Down’s Syndrome, suggests new research carried out in mice at the University of Cambridge. In a study published … in the journal Nature Communications, scientists show that abnormal cells are eliminated and replaced by healthy cells, repairing – and in some cases completely fixing – the embryo.”
Tragically, many women and families make the decision to abort their child based off of a prediction that their baby has Down Syndrome.
Prenatal testing for Down Syndrome is not even completely reliable, yet sadly, many parents are pressured into having an abortion upon the discovery that their child has Down Syndrome.
An estimated 250,000 people in America have the extra chromosome, but that doesn’t stop them from leading successful, fulfilling lives. Lifenews points out that “some go to college, while others own businesses and work as models, actors and artists. Some get married, and many serve as advocates and spokespeople for people with disabilities.”
No child diagnosed with potentially having Down Syndrome deserves to be killed simply because they are unwanted for being diagnosed as potentially “abnormal.”
People with Down syndrome are able to lead amazing lives just like anyone else, far too many are aborted because of the abnormality.
Every life has value no matter the circumstances or stage. Choosing to have a life-ending abortion because of your child being given a potential Down Syndrome diagnosis is not beneficial, kind, or humane – it’s heartbreaking. The violence of an abortion is never the solution.
-Originally published by the California Family Council