Some mothers are forced to terminate their pregnancies when their kids are diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Many claim that they resort to abortion to save their children from suffering in the future. However, there are also some who disagree with this idea.
In an essay published by The Washington Post, obstetrician/gynecologist Katherine McHugh said that women who decide to have their baby aborted because of the illness decide to do so because of "love and compassion." "Families who choose to continue abnormal pregnancies and raise children with disabilities face incredible hardships," McHugh said in her essay. "It can be challenging to determine the severity of the disability before birth, so preparation can be difficult."
The New York Times said that a child with Down Syndrome also has an expected shorter life span and are prone to having medical issues once born. It explained that the struggles that await parents usually push them to choose abortion over letting their kids live.
Despite these positions, P.C. Brown mentioned in a letter to the editor of The Washington Post that abortion does not, in any way, show love and compassion to a child. The writer guessed that McHugh has not seen people with Down Syndrome who are already useful individuals in the society.
"Certainly she missed the scripture reading recited flawlessly by 26-year-old Meghan Jones, a woman with Down syndrome, before a televised audience of millions at the papal Mass in the District in September," Brown added. The writer also mentioned 18-year-old Frankie Antonelli as a perfect example that babies diagnosed with the disease can still pursue education despite their condition.
"I hope none of these people encountered Ms. McHugh's essay; it was so dismissive of their lives," the letter to the editor read. Brown added that some of these kids are also part of the normal population who work in groceries, churches and libraries.
