The New York Times (NYT) published a shocking and horrifying article on January 1, 2022, stating that prenatal screening tests are wrong up to 85% of the time. Tragically, because of this wrong information, thousands of babies have been aborted. Although the NYT is a strong supporter of abortion, it realizes that this is a serious problem.
These inaccurate prenatal screening tests are non-invasive blood tests measuring indicators of genetic disorders. Women receiving these test results may have the test confirmed via invasive tests, such as amniocentesis (sample of amniotic fluid removed for DNA testing). This latter test, however, comes with the risk of miscarriage and can be expensive. One study showed that 6% of parents only rely on the early, unreliable screening results and abort their baby, who, in many cases, if not most, is perfectly normal.
Culture Decline
The willingness to abort a baby because of supposed “defects” is based on two, contemporary cultural declines. The first is that abortions are readily accessible at no cost (paid by provincial medical insurance).This is coupled with an indifference to the innate value and dignity of the baby’s life which has made that life seem readily disposable. The second reason is that prenatal testing, promoted as “reliable” and “accurate”, is heavily marketed and has become a lucrative source of income for physicians. As a result, the procedure is now a routine part of prenatal care. This is entwined with the current, fashionable notion of eugenics, that parents are entitled to have a “perfect” child. Consequently, if the child in utero is found to be (often inaccurately) imperfect, the parents, as reasonable individuals, should abort the baby and try again.
Vulnerable Babies
Babies with Down syndrome are specially targeted in prenatal tests. In some countries most of these babies are aborted. In the US, it is 67%, in France 77%, in Denmark 98%, and, Iceland 100%. Canadian statistics are unreliable.
Every child brings joy as well worry. However, they are our treasures for the future. It’s a risky business raising children, but the rewards are many, not just for ourselves but for our country, that needs our children to maintain a viable future. Also, even if physically perfect, it does not follow that this “perfect” child will be intellectually, emotionally and psychologically “perfect”. Every child is different and should be valued for whatever he or she is or becomes. Killing children because of an unreliable, prenatal blood test is madness, even in a decadent society such as ours.
Both Adolf Hitler and Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood (who described “defectives” as human weeds to be eliminated), would be proud of contemporary society, and pleased that their theories have found a home here.