To be glad that the Down Syndrome abortion appeal was defeated

[Fififafa]

A woman with DS has twice tried and failed to get the courts to outlaw abortion beyond 24 weeks for foetuses with DS. Under current legislation for England, Wales and Scotland, there is a 24-week time limit for abortion, unless "there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped", which includes Down's syndrome.
I read that she has is being supported by some religious group.

I’m glad that the appeal was lost. This is a personal decision that every woman has the choice and the right to make. What Heidi Crowter et al are doing, is fighting to remove that choice from women. AIBU?

Haven't read through all the posts but sis anyone watch the horrendously one sided BBC programme on the subject?

It's all well and good saying people must have their disabled child.

Are you going to ensure that their standard of living is exactly as it was before? Both financially where one or both parents have to finish work to care for a potentially severely disabled child? Mentally? The pressure of caring for a child 24/7/365.

Are you going to go and deal with any other children who now from sheer necessity have to play second fiddle throughout their childhood?

Are you going to watch your child be on a massive regime of painkillers and other drugs?

Even if they have a certain level of ability, are you happy that the child can have all the fun of watching siblings or other children do the simple things in life that they can't do?

Are you going to deal with the stress of knowing that when the parents get too old that someone needs to continue to provide care and so on knowing care provision is a battle at the best of times.

I know, or at least have known in some cases, a lot of people with a wonderful variety of disabilities.

Some can do loads and although it's a battle, live a "normal". Some others are 100% reliant on others and are in constant pain and live a life I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

You dont know how anyone else will cope.

As they've got to do the parenting, it's their choice. Not mine, not yours, theirs.

Personally I think the time frame is too long. Plenty of early tests available that you can have CVS blood tests etc.
awful news

Exactly!
Fast forward 40 years, what do these campaigners think the future holds for the more disabled adults with Downs? Both parents dead, no siblings... what do you think happens?
Some are lucky and get to live out their days in loving Foster arrangements or assisted living.
The more disabled with no family care end up in council run facilities. Hospital care is abysmal for adults with Downs. Life expectancy is short, dementia comes hard and fast sometimes. It's not all sunshine and rainbows FFS

I think the case in point here is the fact that it’s illegal to get an abortion past 24 weeks for ‘healthy’ fetus, but for DS it’s legal right up until the baby starts moving through the birth canal, at full term (I think) thus implying that a DS baby is worth less than a ‘healthy’ baby…it is discriminatory against people with DS IMO.

Im adopted.

Do you think that if someone is unwilling to adopt, they shouldn't be allowed to be a parent?

If this is about what's best for children, surely you agree with that? I'd be interested to hear your answer.

And with this in mind, I assume you proactively adopted a disabled child rather than TTC?

There are many children waiting for adoptive parents willing to provide them with a safe and loving home. I presume you took this route, f you believe that being willing to parent any child should be the threshold for being allowed to be a parent?

Another idiot who thinks it's right to force women to birth disabled babies, or indeed any baby that they don't want.

Do people like you have any thought beyond oh no cute ikkle baybeeeez?

@KitchiHuritAngeni

I'm so sorry for what you've been through, it's unthinkable

How many disabled children have you adopted?

@Clymene I'm not planning on policing anything just stating my honest opinion.

YANBU.

@girlmom21 people with Down's syndromes lives are just as valuable as every other life

Exactly!

Anyone who wants control of another womans uterus is disgraceful! (and disgusting)

@UpTheAnte I'm not advocating for anything I'm giving my honest opinion which I thought was the purpose of this board

@TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael errrmm. None, I wasn’t aware that in order to have an opinion on this thread you had to have adopted a disabled child. My mistake! Maybe OP should have put that 👍

I think it's a pure disgrace that Heidi has been used and manipulated into court. If she had decent people around her they would never have allowed her to get to the stage where she believed the legislation was in any way about her personally. Instead she has been weaponised and it is disgusting. Her parents and others who seek to exploit her should be utterly ashamed.

Abortion should be done as early as possible but as late as necessary. The judgement is appropriate.

@ladyvimes not ignorant at all. People with disabilities lives are just as valuable as everybody else's and it's really ignorant to think otherwise

@KitchiHuritAngeni ♥️♥️♥️

A baby has no independent legal rights until they are born and as thus cannot be discriminated against in utero.

@Wiluli

In a household with medical peeps here.

It doesn't happen how you described.

You've either misunderstood what your friends have told you or are wilfully misinforming people on here.

The situations you've described are not possible.

Heidi Crowter is the acceptable face of downs syndrome that's presented to the media. She's high functioning. You cannot predict what the presentation will be. Many people with downs syndrome have severe behavioural challenges , doubly incontinence need 24/7 care and will live in care homes or secure services. Many won't ever be able to work or talk. Heidi is very lucky and I get annoyed with the DS lobby who only ever present the best case scenario. The others get forgotten.

Parenting a disabled child is very difficult and that choice is for parent to decide. Our support systems for disabled children are awful over here.

I haven't questioned the value of life, but the quality.

Also many with DS will develop dementia by the age of 40 , the DS lobby don't like sharing that !!

That POV assumes that pregnancy is suspected, recognised , tested, examined , diagnosed in the early months. Plenty are not.

We all deserve to have that choice according our own beliefs, circumstances, resources etc.

I know a number of women, including some desperate to have a baby, others using contraception; who felt none of the early symptoms of a totally unsuspected pregnancy. For them it was a midterm discovery.... reactions ranging from ghastly shock to incredulous miracle.

Speak with a midwife you know well . It happens ! I discussed this not long ago again when pregnant with my daughter who is almost 1 too . My friend had counselling for it too for a while . Yes it does not happen often but unfortunately it does and it’s awful specially to the parents .

Do you think that if someone is unwilling to adopt, they shouldn't be allowed to be a parent?

If this is about what's best for children, surely you agree with that? I'd be interested to hear your answer.

And with this in mind, I assume you proactively adopted a disabled child rather than TTC?

There are many children waiting for adoptive parents willing to provide them with a safe and loving home. I presume you took this route, f you believe that being willing to parent any child should be the threshold for being allowed to be a parent?