Screening for Down's syndrome

A new report states that for every three Down’s syndrome babies prevented from being born, two healthy babies will be miscarried because of the methods used to detect the condition.

In the report, in Down Syndrome Research and Practice, the authors call for an overhaul of the current screening policy and estimate that in detecting and preventing the birth of 600 Down’s babies, 400 healthy fetuses are lost.

They add that about 5% to 10% of women receive a high-risk result because the initial screening threshold is set wide.  They are then encouraged to undergo the more invasive high-risk procedures, amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.

Do you agree with the authors that the government needs a rethink on its policy of offering genetic screening to all pregnant women?  Are too many women placed in the ‘high risk’ category and encouraged to undergo more invasive tests?

Do you think its ethical to screen for genetic indicators of mental ability and, if so, what level justifies termination of pregnancy? Or do you think such ethical quandaries are a private matter and should not impinge on a midwife’s professional life? Post your comments now.

A copy of the report Wrongful deaths and rightful lives – Screening for Down’s syndrome is available at: www.down-syndrome.org/editorials/2087/

To view the discussion so far and, if you wish, make you own contribution, click on the 'topic' heading below.