If during early stages of your pregnancy, using medical technology, doctors discovered and informed you that your child would be born with a severe mental retardation and die at the age 7, would you have an abortion?
2006-08-27 13:42:50 · 44 answers · asked by brittbenny08 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Nobody knows the answer to that question until they are actually in the situation.
When my daughter was about 18 weeks pregnant they were told that there was a chance that this baby could have trisomy 18, which would mean the baby could be stillborn or die within hours or days of birth. If the baby did have trisomy 18 and lived at all, it would have severe problems.
She and her husband and our whole family went through a couple of agonizing months while tests were done and they tried to decide what to do. Finally when she was about 24 weeks we found out that the baby is ok. They spent those 6 weeks not knowing, and not knowing what to do. It is easy to say what you would do when the situation is theoretical. It is far different when it is real.
2006-08-27 13:54:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 0⤋
I believe that this is a very hard question to answer, especially considering the fact that I am currently pregnant. I would have to go with no abortion, not because I'm against it, but because, what if some sort of medical discovery comes along that could change things? Or what if this is it, my last chance for having another baby? I don't think I could.
2006-08-27 13:51:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont think so, Doctors told my grandmother my uncle would never walk, have mental problems, and just be a burden the rest of her life. My uncle is 28 he is a barber, engaged and has 2 kids! He cant walk but he takes care of himself. I dont trust doctors enough to get an abortion for that reason. I understand what you are saying Roxana but no mother can remake an aborted baby.
2006-08-28 05:35:49 · answer #3 · answered by dreamgirl4myboy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No , I wouldn't. That child would deserve a chance at life and I would love them just the same and cherish the time that I have with them. Besides, what's to say, they may beat the odds and they may not be as severe as the doctors say.
When I was born my heartbeat was slowing down, the doctor said that I would have heart and respiratory problems.
WROOOOOOOONG I am healthy except for being borderline diabetic, I am perfectly healthy
2006-08-27 14:02:50 · answer #4 · answered by HappyCat 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I know there are going to be people that answer this question that will say absolutely not, and that it would be wrong, but no one can make that decision for you! I definitely would and I will admit that it is partially for selfish reasons, but the other side of it would be the quality of life for the kid. Both sides need to be taken into account, so I have to say that I absolutely would have an abortion in that situation, not just for myself, but for the child, my husband, my family, and any other person, agency, or tax payer that would be affected by the assistance that I would need for the short life and death of this poor unfortunate child. It's just like people that ask would you have an abortion if you were raped? Of course, it isn't fair to you or the child, for reasons that I shouldn't even have to go into. But in this situation, I would understand that this would negatively affect more people than me.
Stop saying that abortion is murder! Abortions are only done before a certain cut off point, and it is usually before it can even be classified as an alive being.You can't murder cells, even if you can imagine them forming into something else, far away in the future! If it is not for you, then great never have one, but it is never someone else's place to judge!
2006-08-27 13:54:49 · answer #5 · answered by pitbull lover 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The answer is difficult, but if we go from the natures stand point , and the roll that a women or mother has , we will see that the women (mother)has only a mission to deliver, we are not the producer, and we cannot take the freedom to life or death, we have to do over duty to deliver, and care about this little being , for home we are responsible.
2006-08-27 14:10:14 · answer #6 · answered by santa s 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No becuz they could be wrong , a life is a life, Should we kill everyone that doesn't become a rocket scientist ? , even the mentally retarded are still capable of some understanding, They could outlive that prediction, doctors can be wrong that is why it is always wise to have a second opinion, If you take one life you also take the lives of the children he or she may have had, even the mentally retarded can produce offspring of normal intelligence.
2006-08-27 15:46:46 · answer #7 · answered by primamaria04 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I work with mentally handicapped kids and adults and many of them were told they would never live past a certain age and they have proven the doctors wrong if u can't handle having a child who is handicapped place him in a place that can make his life the very best possible.
2006-08-27 13:49:21 · answer #8 · answered by DaddyOf2Princesses 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Of course not. We are all imperfect. We all die. Being ill and mentally retarded are not crimes worthy of death. The child would deserve to be loved and protected, not murdered. Only in Nazi-like countries are the disabled killed off because they are deemed somehow less worthy of life than the rest of us.
For more on all aspects of abortion, see http://Abort73.com
2006-08-29 09:42:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes i would. I could not live with the heartache of having a child, watching them grow, knowing that we will have to part shortly. Everytime you look at the child, would you ever have the heart to tell them that they don't have long to live. Think of the friends the child will have, that will only have to say goodbye too. This is a hard and depressing question.
2006-08-27 13:50:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋