Isn’t it unbelievable how quickly
nature has gone into retreat? Until ten years ago, the dominant story was that
our genes were determined (Lane, 2012). Today, everything seems possible. Prenatal
screenings such as the NIPT-test, for example, appear to be the norm and fewer
children are born with Down’s syndrome. As a result, a child with Down's
syndrome is increasingly deviating from the norm (Lensink, 2015).
Technology is saddling us up with more and more, often difficult,
choices. So, you could ask yourself, does science benefit society with technological
advancements or does it have undesirable consequences? The manufacturability of
the human being often leads to more uniformity and ‘perfection’ but conversely,
the acceptance of variety decreases (Lensink, 2015).
As a parent, you are responsible in all cases for deciding whether or
not to take a NIPT-test and for keeping or removing your child if Down's
syndrome is likely to occur. So, taking a NIPT-test may be a good idea if you
are, as a future parent, aware of the fact that raising a child with Down’s
syndrome may be too hard for you. Of course, it puts you for a heart-breaking
dilemma, but every child deserves the best care. Taking your financial
situation, religious belief and family situation into account is important, but
as Julie mentioned in her blog, you don’t become a parent in a vacuum, but in a
society filled with people. Those people include social workers and health care
professionals who stand by parents with doubts and difficulties (Van
Goidsenhoven, 2019).
Maybe children with Down’s syndrome are given even more chances to be
themselves, without having to comply with what society demands. Isn’t that
wonderful? More importantly, how do you look at this as a future parent?
Sometimes the choice is more difficult than the result…
References:
Lensink, J. (2015). Eigen
Schuld: verantwoordelijkheid en het keuzeproces bij prenataal testen voor het
syndroom van Down: Een vergelijking van wetenschappelijke uitgangspunten. Laatst geraadpleegd op 10 december 2019, https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/303626.
Van
Goidsenhoven, L. (2019). Wetenschap kan veel leren van individuele verhalen.
Laatst geraadpleegd op 10 december 2019, https://sociaal.net/opinie/wetenschap-kan-veel-leren-van-individuele-verhalen/.
Lane, A. (2012). Beyond Human Nature: How Culture and Experience Shape our Lives. Laatst
geraadpleegd op 10 december 2019, https://www.newstatesman.com/books/2012/01/prinz-learning-capacities.
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