[Peace-discuss] Abortion & Designer Malthusianism (fwd)

[C. G. Estabrook]

[This subject came up again in discussion after last night's meeting.  The
following was forwarded by Jeff St. Clair of <counterpunch.org>.  --CGE]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 10:45:53 -0700
From: Jeffrey St. Clair <sitka at comcast.net>
Subject: [CP-General] Abortion & Designer Malthusianism

	ABORTION SOARS IN QUEST FOR PERFECT BABIES 
	Daily Mail 
	Sun May 6, 2004 23:30:03 ET

Those with conditions that can usually be corrected medically - such as
deformed feet and cleft lips and palates - are instead being terminated.

And the number of abortions of Down's syndrome babies now outstrips live
births, despite the fact that those with the condition can live a long and
fulfilling life. As screening techniques improve, the trend is likely to
grow - horrifying pro-life campaigners.

'These figures are symptomatic of a eugenic trend of the consumerist
society hell-bent on obliterating deformity - and at what cost to its own
humanity?' said ethicist Jacqueline Laing, of London Metropolitan
University. 'We are obliterating the willingness of people to accept
disability. Babies are required to fit a description of normality before
they are allowed to be born.'

The figures for 2002 - the latest available - from the Office for National
Statistics show more women than ever are choosing to terminate babies with
potential handicaps, with such abortions rising 8 per cent in a year.

It has renewed fears that strict laws on termination due to disabilities
are being flouted by doctors.

The 2002 figures show five babies were aborted because they had deformed
feet, and a sixth because of a cleft lip and palate.

In 2000 and 2001, nine babies were aborted due to cleft lip and palate,
while a further two were aborted for cleft lip alone.

Church of England curate Joanna Jepson, who has spearheaded calls for an
investigation into the abortion of a 28-week-old unborn baby with cleft
palate in Herefordshire in 2001, said: 'These statistics are horrifying
and show the highly consumerist attitude which is now pervading human
relationships.

'I don't think anyone had any idea that so many babies had been aborted
for cleft lip and palate. The fact that two were aborted for cleft lip
alone is a slur on people with the condition.

'I cannot believe the medical profession are standing by decisions to
abort babies for these reasons.'

Delayed motherhood may be partly responsible for rising birth defects,
because women over 40 have the highest risk of congenital abnormality in
their babies.

Doctors say improvements in technology, such as ultra-sound and blood
tests, have helped increase the number of babies diagnosed with
abnormality before birth. But a number are disturbed that abortions are
being carried out on the grounds of the baby's serious disability when in
fact it has a correctable condition such as feet abnormality or cleft lip.

Ground E of the Abortion Act makes termination legal up to nine months if
a child has a serious risk of physical or mental abnormality.

A total of 1,863 pregnancies were ended in 2002 on this basis - up 8 per
cent from the 1,722 carried out in 2001, according to ONS data from the
National Congenital Anomaly System.

Experts say it is likely that many exceeded the 24-week limit for
terminations for socalled 'social' reasons. Most of the estimated 185,000
abortions in Britain every year are on 'social' grounds.

Two doctors must judge that the risk to the woman's physical or mental
health of continuing the pregnancy outweighs the dangers of termination.

In reality, this means women who do not want to have a baby are able to
easily terminate it. Only around one per cent of abortions are carried out
beyond the 24-week limit, generally due to deformities.

Terminations for chromosomal abnormalities, including Down's syndrome,
rose by 17 per cent - from 591 in 2001 to 691 in 2002.

There were more babies with Down's aborted than born with the condition in
2002, with 372 terminations compared with 329 births.

The NHS was last year told to offer Down's screening to women of all ages
- including those in younger age groups with lower risks of the condition
- prompting fears that figures for last year will be even higher.

The charity LIFE said it fears women may come under increased pressure if
their unborn babies are judged to have special needs.

Trustee Nuala Scarisbrick said: 'This is straightforward eugenics. The
message is being sent out to disabled people that they should not have
been born. It is appalling and abhorrent.'

Campaigner Patrick Cusworth said: 'Such statistics are an indictment of a
society which places a conditional value upon its citizens, based upon how
"useful" they may prove to be in later life.'

Consultant obstetrician Maggie Blott said although the reasons for the
increase in Ground E abortions are not clear, it may be partly due to
screening and partly to older mothers.

Women aged 40 to 44 have the highest rate of abnormalities such as spina
bifida, heart defects and Down's syndrome in live and still births, at 160
per 10,000. This compares with 107 per 10,000 in those aged 25 to 27.

Mrs Blott, of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne, said:
'You have to give women a choice and most people feel screening is a good
thing.

'If a baby with a heart problem is diagnosed before birth, doctors can be
ready when it is born and ensure it gets the best treatment.

'Some serious abnormalities do not become apparent on ultrasound until
later in the pregnancy - these include some kidney problems.

'It is likely that most of the abortions in this report were after 24
weeks, because before that, you could get an abortion without needing a
reason such as a physical deformity.

'I personally don't think cleft lip counts as a serious abnormality. The
Abortion Act is very clear that is has to be life-threatening really, and
nobody could describe a cleft lip as life-threatening. The same goes for
deformities of the feet.'

Anne Weyman, chief executive of the Family Planning Association, said
techniques to detect foetal abnormalities have become very sophisticated,
giving women more information on which to base decisions.

'Ending a wanted pregnancy because of serious foetal abnormality is a
difficult decision for the woman,' she added. 'It is vital she receives
support and guidance to make the right decision for her and her family.'

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