Abortion or Not?

I'll share my story. When the wife was pregnant with the now Teen Snook we met with the OB/GYN. Since we are both Jewish there was a higher chance that the baby would be born with Taysachs which is a terminal condition. In the old days the babies would normally not make it to 3, but with modern medecine can now make it a little longer. In order for a baby to have it both parents have to have the "trigger".

Mrs. Snook at the time was adamant that even if the baby was going to have it she was going to have it and fight for its life. I and the doctor were on the other end of spectrum and would have pushed for immediate abortion. After a blood test I was shown not to have the "trigger" so the entire argument was moot.

It was many years later when the two us had a more rational discussion about it before Mrs. Snook admitted her position was more emotional then logical.

I'm not suggesting we should turn into Gattica, but I firmly believe that there is a minimum level of quality of life that is important.

 

I would also vote for abortion but it would depend on how far advanced the baby was at the time. Past the first trimester, I would only vote abortion if it was medically necessary for the mother, or perhaps if the child would only live a few days at most in tortured pain and it would be kinder to end its life sooner.

But yes, I dont want to bring a child into a life of pain and suffering. That goes for financial and emotional stability as much as it does the health of the child.

 

I'd say abort, but then not having children, that's pretty easy for me to say. I'd like to think that, if I were actually faced with the situation, I'd still say abort (for both my and my wife's sake, as well as the child's), but who knows?

 

Even as a father I would think I would come down on the side favoring abortion. Even if the book exaggerated the symptoms of spinal bifida, there's no way that someone born with that will even lead a normal life.

 

Exactly. You hit the nail on the head Snook.

 

'Opening can of worms...'

I am Pro-Abortion in this example (not counting rape, incest or other crimes), if the baby-to-be is going to be damaged or otherwise unhealthy.
No exception.

For the same reason posted by most above:
It's an imperative to make sure to give life to the fittest and healthiest.

I insisted on testing us both Me/Her thoroughly before even attempting making kids. Sure there are no guaranties in life, but one can tweak the odds...a bit.

Parents won't be there forever, and sooner or later the care of the 'sick child' will fall into the hands of strangers or impersonal institutions.
And what kind of half-life is that.

My wife has a really naive and romanticized view about this.
And it was the source of many of our clashes.
She believed that it is worth the result; that the parents love will conquer all.

Giving birth to a child knowing it's fate, for the sake of feeling righteous or such, is pure selfishness.

'Closing MY can of worms'

 

Who gets to decide what's an acceptable quality of life? I've always found it interesting that the lowliest beings we see fit to put out of their misery - such as, let's say, starving stray dogs - always fight for their miserable lives.

Having never worn the shoes, I would guess that if I was living in constant agony I would want to check out, but there's something a bit off-putting about someone else deciding that I didn't have anything to live for.

 

I agree Tal. I would abort. But something came to mind when I read that.

Did you ever see that little kid, maybe 10 years old or so on TV or at an event that is dying of some horrbile disease? Maybe Cancer or Leukemia or something similar. Though they have suffered most of their short lives, when someone does something amazing to help them or they get to experience something that normally their disease wouldn't allow, they light up like a beacon and give praise and thanks to everyone for allowing them that short moment of pleasure. Sometimes it makes me wonder if giving life to a child that can at least glimpse some joy, regardless of affliction, is it worth saving?

 

Most of the time, I like to beat myself over the head with a hammer because it feels so good on the occasions when I stop.

 

Well at least we don't sift through our young and eat the sick and unhealthy ones like some other mammals.

 

Spina Bifida is where the spine is partially malformed - the backbone and spinal canal do not join up properly. Causing a loss of motor control below a certain point on the spine.

Symptomatically causing weakness of the lower limbs, loss of sensation and possible paralysis below the malformation in the spine and also a relatively high possibility of hydrocephalus - fluid in the cranium.

Surgery at a young age is possible though the condition comes with complications that last a lifetime, most end up in wheelchairs. I have not met any retarded Spina Bifida patients though. Hell, I've met several through university

I don't know, I've met enough happy, educated and carefree individuals with the condition that writing them off as candidates to never have been born doesn't sit too well. Personally, I don't think I could keep the child if there was no doubt that it had spina bifida, I have too many other considerations in the equation as it is.

Where do you draw the line of an unhealthy child being aborted? Do you simply draw a line through the population of those who are and aren't allowed to breed?

 

Tough decision, especially when you throw in the fact that doctors CAN make mistakes. I've heard stories of the doctors guaranteeing that the child will never be more than a veggie but the parents went ahead and had the baby -- and the child was only slightly disabled and had a great life.

That's damn rare, though, I know that. I'm deeply averse to pain myself, and would be loathe to bring a child into the world knowing the child would likely experience excruciating agony.

 

I had a cousin with spina bifida, she died aged 5, based on what I saw of her quality of life I would abort.

 

I think you'll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't think abortion is the best option in the case BTA described. Maybe the most devout religious people...

Certainly not me, I think abortion is a valid undo in pretty much any case.