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?

What does that have to do with this case? Nothing.

You and people like you have no right to force other women to birth babies they don't want. Whether that baby is disabled or not.

You didn't answer the earlier question - how many disabled children have you adopted? Seeing as you care so much and the lives of disabled people are so valuable. I can't imagine for one second that you only care that they are born and then you lose interest.

@Meseekslookatme - spot on. Who cares for them after a parent is gone? It can be grim. If you are lucky there will be kindness, but it's not guaranteed.

My mother used to look after severely disabled children. Their parents could often not cope. The demands on parents and caters can be extreme and hidden from public discussion.

Nobody is asking you to have an abortion, you don’t get to tell another woman what to do with her body. Also abortion statistics published by the Department of Health and Social Care, show that in 2019 82% of abortions were performed under 10 weeks. People don’t just wake up and decide to have an abortion at 24 weeks FFS!

Just a quick q, how many times have you faced this decision? And what decision did you make? And if you did decide to carry a disabled child to term why do you think everyone else should be forced to do the same. No offence to anyone but the life facing a family with a severely disabled child is unenviable

Babies from 21 weeks have a chance to survive outside the womb and abortions after 24 weeks are nothing short of killing a child. I once watched videos of the procedure, wish I hadnt.

Downs syndrome and other fatal syndromes get tested at 12 weeks, with a scan and a bloodtest,it takes them 3 days to reply if they found something, otherwise a week to receive a letter if all is well. Seems this country is trying to go the same like USA, where abortions in some states are allowed literally until the delivery. Brutal.

this would probably end up with a lot more abortions as if women were not allowed to abort after 24 weeks, then some of them would terminate before having the full information

I struggle with this. I know 2 adults with Downs Syndrome. They were adopted as babies by a friend. I can't imagine them not existing. I know it's more complicated than that, but knowing the people involved makes it emotional for me.

But a person with DS isn’t a healthy baby in that sense. DS comes with a lot of comorbid problems and for a not small minority they will need a high level of care for their entire life.

as has been pointed out it is exceptionally rare for a termination to take place that late and if it does it is for a very good reason. We shouldn’t remove that element of choice for when it’s needed

As someone who's 29 weeks and has just been told this week there may be serious genetic issues, your post is disgusting and you should ask for it to be deleted.

Well said!

24 weeks is more than enough bloody time to realise you don't want a baby imo.

so don't have an abortion at 24 weeks then.
Other women have different needs and requirements and they should have the ability to do this.

Because the alternative (at your arbitrary line of 16 weeks) is forced birth, poentially of a child that needs lifelong care and everything that brings with it (the frequent break up of marriages after the birth of a child with disabilities and the burden being entirely on the mother is a not inconsiderable consideration in this)

If you talk generally about abortions, americans have done stats, dont think there is such data in the UK- that only up to 6 percent of abortions are done for medical reasons,around 3 percent are done due to rape.. 91 percent- are done by people in long term relationships and 70 percent of them are repeat abortions. Insane.

Good grief what the fuck have I just read?

If abortion after 24 weeks wasn't allowed then I wouldn't have one of my children. I wouldn't have had time to come to terms with his diagnosis, speak to specialists and have genetic testing. The longer time limit sometimes saves foetuses too.

Excuse me?

But there’s a difference between existing people you know and unborn babies/fetuses. Firstly they’re not the same people despite maybe sharing some characteristics, secondly very few people would have a termination at all no matter how early if presented with a photo of how that baby would look as a child/adult and what they would be like.

So sorry to read you are going through this.

If you talk generally about abortions, americans have done stats, dont think there is such data in the UK- that only up to 6 percent of abortions are done for medical reasons,around 3 percent are done due to rape.. 91 percent- are done by people in long term relationships and 70 percent of them are repeat abortions. Insane.

Why insane? People can choose abortion for any reason they want. Thank god this little crusade failed. No one has the right to force a woman to have a DS child or any child for that matter.

I personally feel if you don't want a baby with Down's syndrome then you shouldn't be allowed to have a baby. I know this is controversial and many will agree. But if a person doesn't want a disabled baby of any kind they shouldn't have a baby in my opinion. Disability can happen at any moment

you forced birthers are tedious

Rubbish. Many 24 weekers don't survive let alone 21 weeks.

what is insane?

And why are these women terminating pregnancies? Is it that they are in abusive relationships? are they denied birth control? are they vulnerable, being raped by their partners?

Or do they just not want to have a(nother) baby????

No I haven’t , this is my best friend , it does happen . Once more nit often , in 20 years of being a midwife sh wonky saw it once and was about 4 years ago . It’s awful and traumatic and I should make my point more clear that I’m still pro choice and I’m still against this change and half the law wasn’t changed . But of all the proposed changes it has been the one that was the hardest to detach myself .
I should add I have had both an abortion and I currently have a seriously disabled child . I can have perspective. I still believe women should have the right to choose . But this specifically was hard to follow .

I agree there would be more abortions. Being able to have further tests in the timeframe means the Drs can advise you on how severe any disabilities may be. Without that information, many more women would just abort in case.

And I've yet to meet one who has proactively adopted children rather than TTC, despite apparently being all about the importance of children and there being so many children waiting to be adopted...

You have absolutely no idea do you?