Religion and Ethics: Down Syndrome

The Religion and Ethics program from PBS on episode 931 and aired on March 2006, addresses the issue of the abortion of children with Down Syndrome. The women Beth Allard and Ellen Wixted both took different paths with regards to what decision they took. Beth’s son is now six years old, and Benjamin Allard is doing just fine with Downs Syndrome. Meanwhile, Ellen Wixted chose to abort her baby and still feel regret to this day but refuses to change her decision about her baby. What amazed me was all the selfish reasons she listed in choosing to abort her child. There was not a single good reason she listed that can be used to justify the murder of her child. Her list starts from “not being able to work in the studio” to her very selfish vision of what a “normal life” would be like.

The newspaper columnist, Beverly Beckham, is correct, our society has set a standard for what is “normal” and dictates the standard of life – and kills everything that is simply not up to the social standards. What is disturbing is that even though Down syndrome is considered a disability, only a few states even provide support, resources and the necessary help to patients and the children with the condition. Doctor Brian Skotko from Harvard Medical School makes it clear that his research and numerous other researches show that when these kids with Down syndrome are given support, tools and an opportunity at life – they thrive, they learn and they mature just as much as “normal” kids. However, Dr. Skotko says that many women are given tests before their baby is born and is told all kinds of fearful “facts” about Down syndrome and are told to abort. He says that these “tests will be used to “search and destroy” those with disabilities” and it is a specialized case of murder.

Geneticist Elsa Reich argues that doctors are only supposed to provide medical facts and do not get into ethical discussions with their patients. But Catholic theology makes it clear that this is a crime. The principle of Human Dignity forbids the abortion from being carried out. Human Dignity says that we are all created in the image of God and we have certain innate values. Human dignity also calls for full assurance to fully develop the baby’s capacities and the right to full human development – that means providing the children with Down syndrome with the tools and support they need to excel at life. And the doctors should not only provide medical facts but alternatives to abortion and should leave their patients fully informed about any and all decision they plan to take – and that includes the knowledge that many children with Down syndrome live to an average age of 56 and states offer a lot of help to these children. The easiest examples is the 29 year old Carrie Bergeron and 24 year old Sujeet Desai, both living in New York, who have Down syndrome but manages to live a normal life – even as far as planning to get married.