Claire said...

If I learned early in pregnancy that my child was going to have Down syndrome, I would have to consider a few things.  Although ideally I would prepare myself to take care of my child, there would be situations where I would get an abortion instead.  If I was not in a financially stable situation, I  might choose not to have my child  because it costs a lot of money to take care of a child with Down syndrome (12 to 13 times more than a healthy child).  I believe that it is wrong to have a child that you will not be able to adequately care for, especially if that child is going to have a serious health problem that requires tons of time, money and self-investment.  I would also make sure that I had a good support system.  I think that I would be unable to care for a child with Down syndrome alone, so I would hope to have a partner or family member living close by who would be able to help me care for the child.  If these requirements were met, I would give birth to my child even knowing it will have Down syndrome.  

If I found out late in pregnancy or after birth that my child was going to have Down syndrome, I would immediately begin preparing to care for them.  There are many, many services for children with Down syndrome, I would research them and prepare to use them.  I believe that people with Down syndrome can still benefit their community and those around them.  I am opposed to abortion when it is because the parent does not want the child and I believe that putting a child, especially one suffering from Down syndrome, into the adoption system even when they can care for them is truly selfish.  For these reasons, if I found out that my child was going to have Down syndrome late in pregnancy or after birth, I would prepare to care for them.