Doctors can influence a woman's choice?

Photo credit: Beautiful, perfect boy, by David Donachie

Earlier this year, Brian Skotko, a student at Harvard Medical School, published papers in two academic journals, based on a survey of more than 1,000 mothers.

The survey asked an unusual question: How were they told that their child had Down syndrome?

One woman said that after her baby was born in 2000, the doctor flat out told my husband that this could have been prevented ... at an earlier stage.

Of 141 women who learned through prenatal testing, many said they felt urged to terminate the pregnancies.

One said that after learning her amniocentesis results, the doctor told her our child would never be able to read, write or count change.

Mr. Skotko, whose sister has Down syndrome, saw his project swept up in a complicated debate over the termination of fetuses diagnosed with disabilities.

It raised a provocative question: Can what a doctor says influence how a woman chooses?

Full article: A Brother's Survey Touches a Nerve

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives
by Kathryn Lynard Soper (Author), Martha Sears (Foreword)

-- Having a baby with Down syndrome is not something most parents would willingly choose. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way.

In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives.

The contributors to this collection have diverse personalities and perspectives, and draw from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, world views, and religious beliefs. Some are parenting within a traditional family structure; some are not.

Some never considered terminating their pregnancy; some struggled with the decision. Some were calm at the time of diagnosis; some were traumatized. Some write about their pregnancy and the months after giving birth; some reflect on years of experience with their child.

Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say--not just to other mothers but to all of us.

Paperback: 326 pages;
Click to order/for more info: Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives

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Category: Down's Syndrome, Old Eggs