What would you think of a couple who had an abortion because their baby would be retarded?

Question

Or any other serious problem

This is purely a hypothetical question of ethics. I'm not having children any time soon.

Let me add another element: is the baby's quality of life the only thing to think about? Shouldn't the parents', and most of all, the babiy's siblings' quality of life be taken into consideration too?

Answer 1

I would agree with it entirely. I think abortion should be accepted, not as a form of birth control.

Answer 2

I don't think it's fair that people should have to suffer. If the idea is that this child would have a low or limited quality of life then why torture it. I also believe in abortion if the mother's life is in danger. But I don't think abortion should be used as a form of birth control. By the time you need an abortion it's already too late. And since there are many couples who want children but we have some issues with the adoption methods to the point that they are searching outside the US for children the best idea is to do everything you can to avoid pregnancy, which is completely possible if your are a competent adult. Other wise, avoid sex like the plague, stupid people shouldn't breed.

Answer 3

Personally I disagree with this. I believe that people have the right to choose to abort or not, even though I am against abortion. But children who are disabled for any reason can and are truly a blessing.
We have adopted 2 "special needs" little girls. We got each of them when they were 6 months old. They are a great blessing in our lives.

Also just because you are told your child will be "retarded" doesn't necessarily mean that will be true.

We were told our oldest daughter would be deaf, blind, have cerebral palsy, never walk, & basically be a vegatable. Social Services wanted to instutionalize her, but we took her anyway, because we knew she needed a loving home.

She is now 6 years old and she can hear, see, run, climb, & do anything other kids can do. She is slightly delayed, about 6 to 9 months behind for her age, but she continues to improve and develope everyday. This just goes to show that doctors CAN be wrong!!!

If this precious child had been aborted by her birth mother, we would have never had the joy of having her in our lives. And if she had been instutionalized, she probably would have been a "vegatable". It is only through love and caring that ANY child can grow & mature.

If you personally know of someone who is considering doing this, I would maybe try to incourage them to keep the child or else put it up for adoption because these special children can be one of the greatest blessings in your life.

I'm sure I might get a lot of negative comments and that's OK because everyone is entitled to their opinion, there is no right or wrong answer. I'm just speaking from my personal experience and want to share that with people.

Answer 4

I'd feel two things for them: Pity, because they'd probably spend the rest of their lives wondering if they made the right decision. This is because medicine is NOT an exact science, and all their "specialists" could have been wrong. I would also be angry with them for taking the life of a human being just for being "different". When was the last time you were retarded or talked in great detail with a retarded person (or someone who had Downs Syndrome or was a Dwarf, or had any other medical condition)? How do we know that these people aren't happy and thankful to be alive? Personally, I think they're much closer with God than we ever can be.

Answer 5

It depends on the quality of life that the child will have. What is the severity of the problem, are there risks to the mother, what are the abilities of the parents to provide for the child and what are the potential effects of the problems on the parents.

If it is mild retardation to moderate what are the likely outcomes. If the child is going to be functional and have awareness then KEEP it. If the child is going to be miserable and not able to live a decent life then terminate.
The question is far to broad to address directly.

Answer 6

Well I have had 2 abortions and speak from experience.

Abortion is NOT the answer. It is a SOUL and a life. It hurts and the emotional scars last a lifetime.

I was uninformed and young.

As far as an abortion because the baby had a defect.. NO WAY!
God made that baby just the way it is.. no matter what!!!!! Killing and innocent child is not acceptable at all.
Their have been so many stories of people who were told that the baby wouldn't live.. and such... the baby was born and lived and is doing great!!!

I myself would welcome a baby with disabilities. I know that I am the kind of person who could handle that.

All children are children of God. Created by Him...

Answer 7

I could think of nothing more heart-breaking or stressful on a relationship than trying to raise a child with birth defects! If the couple knew in advance, there could be no more reason to abort the child. - Dreadfull decision!

Answer 8

that they knew they couldn't handle that child to raise it. And that they also knew the chances of it being adopted with retardation problems is non existence. These children are bounced around in foster homes or instituitions.

Answer 9

It doesn't seem to me to be any different from all the elective abortions of ostensibly healthy children.

Answer 10

why only kill retarded people at birth... why not just kill them all now since everybody knows that they have nothing to contribute to society... (sarcasm)

do we kill all the kids with ADD/ADHD? that would thin the population out.