For the second time, an Ohio state representative has introduced a bill to ban abortion when the stated reason is a prenatal test result for Down syndrome. The debate about the bill, and the measure itself, avoid the issue about Down syndrome selective abortion. Continue Reading
January 21, 2014
From the News page: Prenatal testing to explode & 98% termination rate reported
Below is the collection of news reports, blog posts, and opinion pieces collected for today related to Down syndrome and prenatal testing. The stories today seemed to have a theme more than other days. Continue Reading
January 15, 2014
Bad ethics = bad business
There's an aspect of Iviomics introducing its brand of non-invasive prenatal screening into India that has gone completely unreported. Separate from the ethical concerns, it's just bad business. Continue Reading
August 16, 2013
Is Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening the “Holy Grail” of Prenatal Testing?
In her recent blog post at the Huffington Post, Dr. Anne Drapkin Lyerly, a doctor who chaired ACOG's ethics committee, says she has found the "Holy Grail" of prenatal testing in Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS). Is she correct? Continue Reading
July 9, 2013
USA Today discriminates against Down syndrome
In a recent editorial, USA Today's editorial board expressed "Our view" that discriminates against Down syndrome and perpetuates the societal stigma against those with the genetic condition. Continue Reading
April 3, 2013
Does the North Dakota law banning Down syndrome-selective abortions impose an undue burden?
I wrote last week about North Dakota's new law prohibiting sex-selective and Down syndrome-selective abortions. What will the law's impact be, and will it be struck down as unconstitutional? Continue Reading
March 26, 2013
North Dakota enacts law banning Down syndrome-selective abortion
Yesterday, the Governor of North Dakota signed House Bill 1305, prohibiting sex-selective abortion and abortion for genetic abnormality. That same day, the Governor also signed a law banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. As a result, with abortion being invoked, the media reporting and instant comments devolved into pro-life/pro-choice arguments. But let's look at the actual language of the law that concerns Down syndrome abortions and see what it actually says before we choose Continue Reading
March 11, 2013
Paradoxical Genes
I had reason to refer to a column of mine, published a few years ago, called "My Daughter's Paradoxical Genes." It addresses the paradox of the ACOG recommendation that all women be offered prenatal testing for Down syndrome, but a separate ACOG ethics committee condemns the use of prenatal testing for sex selective abortion. The column remains one of my favorites, and the paradox still has yet to be explained by ACOG. You can read the full article at this link. Continue Reading
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