Abortion and disability

[Nineteenninetythree]

Is anybody watching?
Thoughts?

I'm thinking why can't you mention the channel in case anyone wants to watch on catchup etc. Thoughts?

It's quite challenging to watch. It isn't something I have ever had to think too much, and the times I've heard about late terminations (in the media) it was due to very short (and painful) life expectancy. I really feel for Ruth Madeley and Ruben Reuter right now, this is not easy to hear. And watching them, it makes less sense to me. But at the same time, it is very complicated.

It's on channel 4

www.channel4.com/news/disability-and-abortion-actors-explore-ethics-of-terminations-past-24-weeks

My mistake, I thought I had.

Whats with the sarky tone? Rude.

Just watching now, really well done and properly makes you think!

Watching it now.
Thought the thread would be more busy

Poor woman who had 2 babies who were both too poorly 😓😓😓

I can't help feeling it was a bit harsh at the end when Ruth was like
I had a bleak outlook and look at me now. How does it feel thinking both me and Bailey had a bleak outlook and I'm here fine

I still feel the same as I did before the programme.
Really, before the baby is born, it's more about the mum when the baby's not born isn't it
About how the mum can cope etc etc

I think these are the questions we need to ask.
I would have liked more information on exactly what a late term abortion entails - that was too vague.
also the term - ending a pregnancy. I’ve seen that term more and more. Again it’s not really truthful.
The poor lady with the two sick babies. That was very sad.
I thought the presenters did a good job. The current law is discriminatory. That can’t be denied.

Do you think it should be ended at the same time, disability or not?

I just personally felt the question was almost asked to make her feel bad. She's probably gone through it all in her head anyway.

I just don't think you can look at it from the point of view of these people who are alive like in the programme. It isn't about them. It's in essence about the mum. Yes the baby in you as well but more the mum.

I would have liked to see input from less affluent families. If you have a large house, are white, are educated and have a partner then you may feel more able to raise a child who may have a considerable disability than if you are young, poor and don't have permanent housing. All the families they spoke to seemed to be quite affluent and both Ruth and Ruben had a supportive family.

Knowing how hard it is to get support for children with additional needs, I wouldn't criticise anyone who chose to get a termination, especially as you have no way of knowing whether the child will have a relatively normal life or not, so as they said it's down to the mother to decide what she can or can't cope with.

I thought late term abortion lasted from 24 year - due date (day of birth). I thought that was what they said. I was surprised by that myself. What do you think would be better than "ending a pregnancy", i was relieved it was called that to be honest. The over-riding feeling I got from it was the sense of regret that people did or could have, the level of information that was given and the pressure from doctors.

I think the woman who said that if late term abortion wasn't possible then decisions might be rushed made a good point, and she was a good advocate for people who had chose not to continue the pregnancy. It's not an enviable position and I would never judge anyone for whatever they chose.

Current legislation is all about the mother and I agree with that. I hope advances in medicine will mean future parents will be more fully informed to help them make a decision.

Yes agree that it's about the mother and that's how it should be.

I'm currently reading A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult which is about abortion (in America) so fitting I guess

I am still to watch the programme but I would deny that the current law is discriminatory. A foetus has no right not to suffer discrimination. I would suggest that repealing it would do more harm to women, and that THAT would be discriminatory.

I watched the first 20 minutes and then had to turn it off.

During those first 20 minutes the tone came across as quite judgemental.

The two individuals are clearly very self sufficient, socially and behaviourally typical, both in relationships and with good careers which I don’t think is a very true representation of disabled children or ones with DS where there is a huge spectrum of how impacted the child can be.

It was like they were saying, “Well we are fine so the option to terminate shouldn’t be there” - but what about the fact that it can be the roll of the dice in terms of how disabled the infant may be and it’s a gamble that some parents do not want to take for many reasons.

I’m going to take a break and go back to it later once my initial reaction has eased. Hopefully the rest of the show will be much better, a more truer picture of what disabilities and DS can mean for some families and hopefully less biased.

I hope so anyway as I was so looking forward to watching this.