New Genetic tests: Will they increase
abortions?
A new test to determine a baby’s sex is being sold
on the internet by DNA Worldwide. The company claims its test is 99% accurate. It
is administered by a simple fingerprick to obtain a
sample of the mother’s blood. The test looks for DNA from the baby in the
mother’s blood and if it picks up a Y-chromosome a boy baby can be
“confidently” predicted.
The 204th General Assembly of the
PC(USA) expressed substantial agreement that “Abortion is not morally
acceptable for gender selection only.” [Problem Pregnancies and Abortion,
1992, p. 11, E.1.g.]
In a May 9, 2007 New York Times article, “Prenatal
Test Puts Down Syndrome in Hard Focus,” Amy Harmon reports on a new recommendation from the American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists “a new, safer screening procedure to all
pregnant women, regardless of age.” Harmon reports that, “about 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a
Down syndrome diagnosis have chosen to have an abortion.”
Concerned
parents of Down Syndrome kids have begun visiting and
talking with parents in the hospital setting and sharing their experience of
raising Down Syndrome children. To read the entire article
click on the title above.
Aborting
children for reasons of gender selection or because they will have a disability
is not supported by the abortion policy statements of the PC(USA). In 1992 the
General Assembly adopted an abortion policy statement “Problem Pregnancies and
Abortion” that called the church to address economic realities that might cause
women to consider abortion. Among other suggested activities members were
encouraged to “…advocate and provide respite care for families whose children
are disabled.” [P. 14, E. 2.c. (1)]
The 2006 GA
approved the recommendations of ACSWP in a document called “Living
Into the Body of Christ: Towards Full Inclusion of People with Disabilities.”
In its recommendations ACSWP urged the PC(USA) and its membership to:
(1) Give prophetic witness regarding
issues related to people with disabilities, recognizing that disability
concerns are a matter of social justice.
(2) Be an advocate with and on behalf
of people with disabilities at all levels of church and society, locally,
nationally, and internationally.[P. 2, 2.b.(1) & (2)]
The report
directs the General Assembly Council and the Presbyterian Washington Office to
Support new legislative initiatives
that affirm the full humanity and advance the full inclusion of people with
disabilities…. [P.3, 2.b.(10)(d)]
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Allison
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