Mark Leach is an attorney with a Master's in Bioethics, focusing on health law and public contracts. His interest in bioethics concerns the issues surrounding prenatal testing and Down syndrome.

Down Syndrome Abortion Ban Laws to be Upheld as Constitutional

8th Circuit Court of Appeals Courthouse (pyramid-topped building) Without a doubt, in the post-Roe world, Down syndrome abortion ban laws will be upheld. Continue Reading

National Down Syndrome Organizations Respond to Overturning of Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court of the United States Well, actually, at the time of this writing, neither national Down syndrome advocacy organization has issued a statement concerning the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, issued Friday, June 24, 2022. Here's what they should say: Continue Reading

Support for New & Expected Parents of Children with Down syndrome at the 2022 Down Syndrome Affiliates In Action Conference

This past weekend, I exhibited and presented at the 2022 Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action (DSAIA) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. I discovered a resource I have not highlighted here and wanted to list other resources present that are recognized by professional guidelines to be given to new and expectant parents. Continue Reading

NY Times: Prenatal Tests for Rare Disorders “Usually Wrong”

A New York Times report finds that prenatal genetic tests advertised for their accuracy are usually wrong when reporting results for rare genetic conditions. Continue Reading

Supreme Court Allowing Texas Abortion Law: Further Evidence Prenatal Testing is about Abortion

J&J circa 2008 The above photo was shared by my kids' maternal grandmother today, and it made me very happy and winsome for a time of such innocence. Elsewhere, someone wrote something stupid and bigoted on Twitter that made me sad and infuriated. But, unfortunately, it was further evidence that, in the end, prenatal genetic testing's administration is to allow for eugenic abortions. Continue Reading

Ch. 5, Part 5: National Down Syndrome Support Organizations

After covering a few other written resources not mentioned in a previous section of this chapter, I then turn our attention to the existing national Down syndrome support organizations. Continue Reading

Ch. 5, Part 4: A Nationwide Down syndrome First Call Program

Screenshot from MDSC's First Call Program Without any federal support, the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress has launched a nationwide first call program for new and expectant parents learning their child has Down syndrome. Read on about this excellent resources and why it launches over a decade after Congress authorized exactly this resource by a unanimous vote. Continue Reading

Ch. 5, Part 3: Written & online resources for parents about Down syndrome

Downsyndromepregnancy's logo The previous section of Chapter 5's exploration of available supporting resources for new and expectant parents discussed the importance of accurate, up-to-date, balanced resources about Down syndrome. This section describes the three resources identified by major medical organizations to be provided to parents. Continue Reading

Ch. 5, Part 2: Accurate, balanced, up-to-date information about Down syndrome

In this second section of Chapter Five's discussion of the available support resources for new and expectant parents of children with Down syndrome, I discuss what every medical guideline recommends and what all parents want--accurate, balanced, up-to-date information--and how the resource providing that information was developed. Continue Reading