I'm an American but studied abroad in Denmark for around 6 months. When I was there, I found out that the Nordic countries have virtually eradicated down syndrome by testing pregnant people for it. 99% choose to abort. How do you guys feel about this?
Personally this is quite disturbing to me. I've known people with down syndrome who live happy, quality lives. Even if it is up to the mother whether or not to abort, when it happens 99% of the time, is it not cultural eugenics? It seems the culture is almost afraid of taking care of a child with down syndrome. Especially in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, where the resources to take care of them are more widely available. If you could test for other things like autism, or even something like extreme depression, would yall do the same thing?
EDIT: I am strongly pro choice and I have talked to many American people on both sides of the political spectrum about this and they unanimously agree with me. On an individual level, I support everyones right to make their own decisions, but when it gets to the population level it becomes more of a cultural issue. There seems to be a cultural agreement that children with down syndrome are too difficult to care for. Does that make it ok to eradicate them? I honestly don't know
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The original was posted on /r/denmark by /u/queen_bs at 2024-03-13 15:12:18+00:00.
3uph0ri4 at 2024-03-13 17:04:00+00:00 ID:
kupemg8this post is wildly disturbing and also misleading lmao !!!
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 17:55:29+00:00 ID:
kupkb4qhow so?
Electronic-Ebb7474 at 2024-03-13 18:59:23+00:00 ID:
kupw2jdas a start, your statistics and number are pulled out of your own ass
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 19:45:27+00:00 ID:
kuq4g6kOk but it is an extremely high percentage, that much is true. If down syndrome could be cured that would be the best solution, but it can't be. So is abortion really the best alternative?
Ok-Cow-1900 at 2024-03-13 20:07:49+00:00 ID:
kuq8jptYes
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 20:14:20+00:00 ID:
kuq9qm5https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3353148/#:~:text=Of%20the%202%2C044%20respondents%2C%2099,and%204%25%20regretted%20having%20them.
Id recommend looking into this study which found that only 4% of families regret having their child w down syndrome, and that there is actually a "down syndrome advantage." Many studies detailed in this article found that families are more harmonious and experience less stress and depression when one of them has down syndrome. Having a child with down syndrome seems to be viewed as life ruining, leading to an extremely high percentage of abortions, when in reality it actually doesn't negatively affect families in most cases
Particular_Run_8930 at 2024-03-14 08:54:40+00:00 ID:
kut51zuIt is interesting what love does to you and what phrasing of a question does to the answer you get.
I had a sibling who only lived for a few days due to deformities of the heart. And those few days really were not that great. Still I cannot truly say that I wish she were never born. There were also moments of great beauty in those days. And the whole experience did shape the way I look at life in a way I am not sure I would want to be withouth. All in all the answers from my family are really similar to that of the survey, my sibling were wery much loved, we did feel pride and it did shape how we as a family look at life and what we prioritice in a positive way.
I still would absolutely choose to abort if I were to expect a child with similar deformities.
crazymissdaisy87 at 2024-03-14 09:48:59+00:00 ID:
kut9ghsIndeed, that study has very loaded questions put together. Having to answer if you regret right after asked if you love. OP also conveniently leaves out that the "advantage" is only compared to other disabilities.
Particular_Run_8930 at 2024-03-14 12:12:04+00:00 ID:
kutnwjvRegretting your children is also just a really difficult position to take. Both because it so fundamentally goes against our ideals for what a good parent is, but also because the child you regret is likely one of the persons in the world you feel the greatest love for, also the child is its own person and saying (or even just feeling) that you wish someone else to not exist is potentially really hurtfull for that person.
All in all regretting your child is such a difficult place to be in mentally that it really is a thought you cannot afford to entertain for too long. To be happy in the life you have to accept what has been given to you.
All in all I find a survey as the one posted to show far to little nuances in what it actually entails to have a severely disabled child.