New prenatal testing for Down syndrome raises sensitive issues

The recent announcement that a new blood test devised to test for Down syndrome early in pregnancy has been proven highly accurate is going to result in intensified discussion of related ethical issues.

As seen in this CTV News story, there are a large range of opinions and concerns on this question.

When it becomes available, the new, non-invasive, blood test could be given earlier in the pregnancy than the status quo amniocentesis test, which has a one per cent chance of causing a miscarriage.

As the story goes on to address, parents would then have the opportunity to consider terminating a pregnancy at an earlier stage, when there would be possibly less emotional attachment. It is also quite possible that many more mothers would choose to have the blood test than currently have amniocentesis. With the predictable result of fewer Down syndrome births.

However, the ethical concerns being raised are powerful and important. Such questions as: do we have the right to "weed out" the less than perfect of our species? Those who have had the opportunity to live with people who have Down syndrome almost invariably state that these people make a rich contribution to the lives of all who know them. Do not Down syndrome people make up an important facet in the human mosaic? If the number of Down syndrome births were sharply curtailed by systematic testing, would we be in danger of removing a part of human diversity that is indeed necessary?

Without even getting into "cost to the medical and educational systems", "Pro Life/Pro Choice" angles or fundamentalist religious opinions, we see there could be legitimate, and at times contentious, concerns about new, easier, prenatal testing, not only for Down syndrome but also other so-called "abnormalities".

There are quite a number of comments following the CTV News story - I took the liberty of copying them and posting them on the Rapid Facebook group discussion section, in case they disappear from the CTV site at some point in time. The range of opinions is important to acknowledge and consider.