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.
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 19:55:10+00:00 ID:
kuq67ygThis topic will only get more prevalent as genetic testing becomes more advanced, so this debate is not for no reason. Where do you draw the line? Only 4% of families say they regret having their child with down syndrome https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3353148/#:~:text=Of%20the%202%2C044%20respondents%2C%2099,and%204%25%20regretted%20having%20them.
And another one detailing misconceptions about down syndrome that counteracts many of the arguments made in these comments
https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/about-down-syndrome/misconceptions-vs-reality/
azalie00 at 2024-03-13 19:58:26+00:00 ID:
kuq6ti84% on a study where 2044 people participated.
Think about it.
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 20:04:21+00:00 ID:
kuq7wltThis study also talks about how families with down syndrome are more harmonious and experience less stress. These are not my words, they're evidence-based from the NIH, which describes this as the "down syndrome advantage"
azalie00 at 2024-03-13 20:09:22+00:00 ID:
kuq8tvtBiased towards American culture rather than EU/Scandinavian, yes.
Therefore that study can’t really be applied to our regions.
A choice is a choice, move on
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 20:26:08+00:00 ID:
kuqbx58Yeah it can't be applied to your regions bc it's been virtually eradicated. Tbh y'all aren't even listening to me lmao I literally sent u evidence
azalie00 at 2024-03-13 20:28:43+00:00 ID:
kuqcebyYou’ve sent 1 American study, conducted in American households. This isn’t a disease like Cancer. A mental illness like depression or autism. You literally can not compare social differences based on 1 research paper and say that we don’t listen “even though you’ve sent evidence.”
Give me an EU study paper, a Nordic study paper.
Anything.
Ok-Cow-1900 at 2024-03-13 20:11:34+00:00 ID:
kuq98bbAh yes having a deformity is an clear advantage.... Brother who are not even trying to troll well anymore
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 20:25:13+00:00 ID:
kuqbr0aThe "down syndrome advantage" is not something I came up with. It's evidence based, and shows that having a child with down syndrome may change your life but likely won't ruin it
Ok-Cow-1900 at 2024-03-13 20:27:17+00:00 ID:
kuqc4sgRead your sturdy.
"Drawing conclusions specific to families who have children with DS is difficult from these heterogeneous samples. In studies where children with DS are compared to children with other disabilities, researchers have noted a “Down syndrome advantage”: their families are described as warmer, closer, and more harmonious"
So only an advantage when compared to every other disabilities... Yeah cool story bro.
Ok-Cow-1900 at 2024-03-13 20:22:22+00:00 ID:
kuqb7yy*When compared to other disabilities
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 20:47:19+00:00 ID:
kuqft6dhttps://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/about-down-syndrome/misconceptions-vs-reality/
Ok here's another one
Ok-Cow-1900 at 2024-03-13 21:04:15+00:00 ID:
kuqix66Ah an even smaller sample size bruh.
queen_bs (OP) at 2024-03-13 20:01:35+00:00 ID:
kuq7ebpYes but all 2044 of them had a family member with down syndrome, so 96% of them wouldn't get an abortion if they could go back in time
therapistuncle at 2024-03-13 20:23:05+00:00 ID:
kuqbcww3000 did not want to respond to avoid judgment from argumentative assholes
azalie00 at 2024-03-13 20:23:28+00:00 ID:
kuqbfgkWhy would those 96% have to go back in time to NOT get an abortion? They proceeded/are happy with the CHOICE they’ve made.
You mean the 4%? Because they’d just do it all over again.
Not entirely sure you understand the words in the article you yourself posted here.