ABORTION BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY
Disability tests are
not always accurate - they can be wrong.
This is perhaps one of the most difficult situations a pregnant mother could face.
With today's ability to screen for a wide range of disabilities before birth, more and more women are told their unborn babies have disabilities and asked if they want to abort them.
Understandably, these women face a massive moral dilemma - one which there is no easy answer to.
However, if you are in this situation and wondering about an abortion, we would encourage you to consider the following points first:
Disability tests can be wrong
Disability tests are not always accurate - they can be wrong. They may suggest that your child has a disability when he/she is actually completely healthy - or even the other way around.
These tests may only show an increased potential risk of having a disability, and should therefore be treated with caution.
Risks can be exaggerated by medical staff
Sadly, a positive disability test can often be followed by a recommendation from a medical advisor to abort. Some couples who regret aborting their child because of potential disability talk of the pressure they felt from staff to abort, and say that carrying on the pregnancy was never presented as an option by those advising them.
Click here to read an example of one of these stories.
Disability does not mean despair
Disabled children often go on to live happy, fulfilling lives. Having a disability does not mean that an individual cannot enjoy life, as many disabled people (young and old) will testify.
If you abort your child, you risk depriving him/her of a happy life, and depriving yourself of years of happy memories and fulfilling parenthood.
Click here to read stories written by disabled people about their lives, or here to read an article on pressure from medical staff.
Abortion can itself cause future disabilities
Abortion can lead, directly or indirectly, to a wide range of physical health problems, even if done correctly.
Some of these problems can lead to an increased risk of future children being born with disabilities.
For more information on health risks from abortions, see our dedicated Health Risks page.
Abortion doesn't end all the suffering
Sadly, while an abortion may be used to prevent a child's future suffering, it can take a heavy toll on the mother (and even the father).
Strong feelings of guilt, emptiness, regret and even suicidal thoughts are just some of the emotional and mental consequences that can follow an abortion, often lasting for years or even decades after the event.
Please read our page on Post Abortion Syndrome to learn more.
Before you choose to abort your child, you should be aware that it will be a decision you must live with for the rest of your life - don't rush into it, or allow others to pressure you. If you need to talk to someone about your situation, please do get in touch with us and we will help in any way we can.
For more information on this topic, please see the following links:
www.lifenews.com/2013/09/25/is-abortion-justified-when-the-unborn-baby-is-disabled/
prolife.org.uk/2009/03/selfish-rejecting-abortion-of-a-disabled-child/