Aborting a child with birth defects?

[Saltex]

So today while doing nothing I was wondering. If I knew my wife/girlfriend was pregnant and we knew there were gonna be some kind of birth defects beforehand, say like being blind, death, down syndrome or having like no legs for example, would I say we should have the child aborted? So I thought to myself that I probably would go ahead with it if the spouse agreed with it. Also I have a brother who is now 30 years old and is down syndrome, he practically has a brain of an 8 year old, and when I see it I wouldn't want someone to live like that, I know it is all he knows, but would I want that for my kids? I'm sure we all want a normal life for our kids, but I dunno if i'd want a child living through that for the rest of their lives.

 

[Hamster]

So today while doing nothing I was wondering. If I knew my wife/girlfriend was pregnant and we knew there were gonna be some kind of birth defects beforehand, say like being blind, death, down syndrome or having like no legs for example, would I say we should have the child aborted? So I thought to myself that I probably would go ahead with it if the spouse agreed with it. Also I have a brother who is now 30 years old and is down syndrome, he practically has a brain of an 8 year old, and when I see it I wouldn't want someone to live like that, I know it is all he knows, but would I want that for my kids? I'm sure we all want a normal life for our kids, but I dunno if i'd want a child living through that for the rest of their lives.

You wouldn't want someone to live like that or you wouldn't want to live with a burden like that?

 

[CAPS LOCK]

That's a moral dilemma I wish never to be conflicted with.

 

[xrapidx]

That's a moral dilemma I wish never to be conflicted with.

+1 - but I would opt for termination.

 

[Hamster]

That's a moral dilemma I wish never to be conflicted with.

This. But I honestly cannot tell you what i would do.

 

[nfbs]

Decision is hard but easier compared to a 1 st world country with a large monthly disability grant where you can afford help.
I hope I never have to face such a decision.

 

[Hemi300c]

If caught early enough I would abort. But that is easy for me to say now, but that is my thought.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

You wouldn't want someone to live like that or you wouldn't want to live with a burden like that?

I would say are equal concerns in my book.

 

[Saltex]

If caught early enough I would abort. But that is easy for me to say now, but that is my thought.

This, I think it's easy for us to say it now until it had to come to it.

 

[Saltex]

You wouldn't want someone to live like that or you wouldn't want to live with a burden like that?

Also a good way of putting it, would I/you be doing it for myself or for the childs sake?

 

[Carol35]

My views have changed as I've got older. In my twenties, I would have said every child has a right to life regardless. Now that I'm in my 30's, I would terminate. I also would not carry a child to full term that is not compatible with life and will die shortly thereafter!

 

[RiaX]

Depends.

A decision like this can break a family both directions. I would opt to terminate, however I can say that now but when the bugger is growing in utero that might change quite fast.

 

[HavocXphere]

Definitely & without a shadow of doubt.

The scenario is unrealistic though. IRL is not "you know", but rather a doc tells you "high chance of". While I've personally not been in that position, I'd imagine the "chance" part really would mess with your head.

 

[xrapidx]

Definitely & without a shadow of doubt.

The scenario is unrealistic though. IRL is not "you know", but rather a doc tells you "high chance of". While I've personally not been in that position, I'd imagine the "chance" part really would mess with your head.

Yeh, my wife told me of someone who was told there's a high chance, and the baby was born completely normal.

 

[Singal]

My views have changed as I've got older. In my twenties, I would have said every child has a right to life regardless. Now that I'm in my 30's, I would terminate. I also would not carry a child to full term that is not compatible with life and will die shortly thereafter!

Agreed.

 

[Celine]

i had a down's syndrome child at the age of 18 and let me tell you had i had the choice i would have aborted. i didn't know that he was going to be down's at the time but knowing what i got to know over the years, about down's syndrome, about institutes, about government assistance etc, i would definitely not have had him. this country is not geared to children with special needs. this country is NOT first world in that area and will never ever get to that stage. they claim they are there, but i'm sorry, from the experience i went through, this country is way, way down on the scale. there's a lot of catching up to do in this area and not only in the genetic area, in all areas.

 

[azbob]

So today while doing nothing I was wondering. If I knew my wife/girlfriend was pregnant and we knew there were gonna be some kind of birth defects beforehand, say like being blind, death, down syndrome or having like no legs for example

Defect? That's pretty much an out-of-box failure.

 

[crackersa]

counts on what the disability is. something like downs, yeah I would terminate. blind / deaf or what my son has..arthogryposis...no I wouldn't terminate on that as those children can still go on to have happy fulfilling lives.

 

[I.am.Sam]

Defect? That's pretty much an out-of-box failure.

why must you make jokes

 

[Nerfherder]

Defect? That's pretty much an out-of-box failure.

He means a defect that would limit the life of the child.

There are a lot of things they can detect early on that will tell you that basically your kid will live a few days after birth and die.

I think most people will terminate in that case, there is no reason to carry for 9 months if you KNOW its going to live a short painful life.