Poll: Would you abort a pregnancy if the child would have Down Syndrome?

[Wedlock49]

well we don't know until it happened.

ask a parent.
most of the people here are teenagers and have no idea of parenthood or the feelings that come with it (myself included).

I've never had my own child but I was once involved with a mother, after having bonded with her child he ment the world to me. The relationship went nowhere but I loved the child like my own.

I judge things based on the standard of life that will be possible. Someone with Downs couldn't possibly live a full and happy life and I know personally I would hate to be such a burden.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

there are things that should be bred out, like down syndrome

Yes, breed out a chromosonal disorder that in the vast majority of cases is non-hereditary. BRILLIANT IDEA! Let's breed out tooth decay while we're at it.

 

[boyvirgo666]

im 20 years old. if my girlfriend was pregnant now id pay for the abortion myself down syndrome or not.

 

[Valiard]

Frankly im gonna be honest here and say im a lazy guy and wouldnt want to deal with the hassle.

 

[Tibike77]

And the whole "Why not just abort and retry" thing is also really stupid. That's just about one step below saying "Well, you don't like your current wife, just kill 'er and find another". It's quite obvious most of the people who say that have never experienced an attachment or commitment to a child you've conceived. Not saying I have, but at least I'm not completely arrogant of the idea.

A X-month old fetus is hardly something to get attached to too much.
Following the same logic, I might as well argue that your attitude is one step below saying a male has the obligation to go around fertilizing every female he can find, while every female should get pregnant as soon as she can, because, hey, potential human lives are lost if you don't !

 

[blindthrall]

Yes. Absolutely. Without a second thought.

I know it makes me an evil, evil person but I don't even think of Down's sufferers as human. They're...not right. Defective. Little more than pets or playthings like animals. And like I said, I know that makes me an evil, evil person but my revulsion at the sight of them is deeply personal and not something I can deny.

Took the thought out of my head. I'm glad the poll is overwhelmingly yes...but then again it's probably mostly guys.

 

[Ensiferum]

Never.

I consider a fetus to be human. I consider killing a human being at any stage of development to be murder. I consider killing an unborn human child with Down Syndrome not only murder, but a form of eugenics not unlike the sort enacted by the nazis.

Considering that I'm sickened by the majority of the replies in this thread. At least you're honest though, right?

 

[TinCynic]

(Huge Sarcasm)
Yes, of course, especially if it didn't have blonde hair and blue eyes. It wouldn't fit in our perfect Nazi society. And, hey, after we murder the baby, then we can go to a book burning.

 

[MajorKris]

I am going to go with yes.

Looking at earlier posts, I know that my opinion is going to look down upon. But I can honestly say that if I was aware of defects that were going to effect my future child, then I would abort. I would love and care for my child regardless of the issues, but I also know how harsh and cruel it can be to those who...don't function as well as normal people. I know that some people have good intentions, but this is a topic with a huge gray area.

I am certainly not saying that we should kill all pre-existing people with defects, but since it is MY own child, I would want them to have the best start in life. Plus in my view I don't see abortion as murder...if a fetus is not aware is it cruel to let it go? I don't think so, but as I said, it is my opinion.

There are many other factors that I would have to contribute to this as well. Call me cruel and heartless, but it is what I would do.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

Answering that question is kinda silly. Unless you have already been in that position its hard to say either answer definitively.

As easy as it for us to say yes or no and lay down a completely logical reason as to why we choose yes or no until we are sitting there in the doctors office receiving the news that our beautiful baby we have spent the last two and a half months picking out names, building a room for, planning for college and making part of our lives before they are even born is going to have down syndrome... No one can answer that question.

Sorry for the run on sentence... That is how i would have said it though...

You have a good point.
I would hope that I can overcome my attachment to the fetus and let it be aborted (assuming the girl also agrees)
I can see myself living in regret if I didn't go through with it, believe me I realize how horrible that sounds and what a degenerate I may seem, but I have no false illusions of being a saint;
"Son/honey you were not supposed to live, I just kinda grew attached......."
But I believe the time spent after the abortion (which itself would probably be very traumatic) would be worth it opposed to the difficulties of raising a child with down syndrome.

That said, I still think it is like you said, just one of those things you can't really answer until you're right there.

 

[Billion Backs]

Yes. Abstract respect for life is stupid.

 

[snide_cake]

I'd abort. Families have hard enough time as it is maintaining a high quality of life for their kids, let alone having a kid with Downs.

I knew a family who had a kid who had ceberal palsy. He was 18 years old at the time, and just...in a cot, wearing diapers, able to distinguish a few words to communicate to his family via this push-button thing. The family were amazing and clearly they doted on him, had a van converted to accomodate his wheelchair and everything.

But it made me wonder what will happen to him when his parents are too old to look after him, or die. Would his two younger sisters be willing to compromise their rich and full lives to integrate him into their homes?

 

[drdamo]

Yes.
I have not a single thing against abortion and i'd rather prevent alot of people having a tough life this way.
Sure this might be a kick in the nutsack towards Down Syndrome people, yet i'm simply not up for handling such a situation, let alone shove that responsibility on another because abortion would be wrong.

And fear for the human race is what i read somewhere.
So its better to have down, inbred and all the other genetic deficiencies and be happy about it, than clean genetics and a chance on survival?
I'm sorry, but if we want to survive as a race we shouldn't fck up our genetics even more than we already have.
Happy, positive thoughts, acceptance and all that cuddly stuff will get us far, yet it will kill us in the end because we are nothing but a bunch of infertile mutants at that point.

 

[zohmbee]

I am torn between the choices. But both my answers have me not raising the kid. My cousin has Downs, and he is dangerous, angry and sex-crazy because his mother never attempted to help him learn how to behave, or send him to a special school. He will someday hurt a girl, even if he doesn't mean it. Think Lenny, from Of Mice and Men.

So, thinking like that-- if my child with Down Syndrome were to become dangerous to society --yes, I would abort it. But there's another part that wonders if I didn't, because I know I'm am not emotionally strong enough to help keep that kid going. I would most likely give the child to a home that has the emotional capacity and funding to support the child.

Either way, I'm still a horrible person.

 

[AWC Viper]

yes. I am pro abortion for many 'defects' and 'syndromes' i support the 'survival of the fittest' way of thinking

 

[Elburzito]

Yes, and I wouldn't look back. I want my child to have a proper life and future. Can you possibly look at a Down-Syndrome and be proud of both yourself and him?

 

[Adzma]

Indeed without a second thought.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I don't know. I was discussing this was my boyfriend at one point, and he doesn't want a disabled baby. I said I'd love our baby disabled or not.
I've never seen a Downs person live past 30. Most usually die after they leave school. Not to mention the amount of money they get spent on them to make their life better, for them to die young. That isn't a life I'd want to live, so I don't know right now.

 

[Dr.Poisonfreak]

no i wouldn't, this was a conversation that me and my fiancee are constantly having, DISabled is not the same as UNable, at the end of the day it is still a person you are bringing into the world,. with thoughts and feelings the same as anybody else, looks shouldn't matter when it is a living being you take into account so to answer your question once more


no