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Post Reply Genetic Disorders
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Posted 1/6/13, edited 1/6/13

SuperNovaMTL wrote:

Disabled individuals are as precious as any other, but it seems irresponsible and cruel to bring about a life filled with suffering when a simple test can prevent it.


It appears to be simple, but the tests themselves carry enough risk and uncertainty. Some can increase the risk of miscarriage by 1-2% as well as produce false negative/positive results, and doctors can at best be 99% certain. I have a friend who was predicted to be a male with down's syndrome before birth, but instead turned out to be a healthy girl. While these percentages may seem very minor, they become more than a matter of probability when life and death is involved. And that's all before considering the emotional and financial pressures placed on families.
SuperNovaMTL
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Posted 1/6/13

evenstar95 wrote:


SuperNovaMTL wrote:

Disabled individuals are as precious as any other, but it seems irresponsible and cruel to bring about a life filled with suffering when a simple test can prevent it.


It appears to be simple, but the tests themselves carry enough risk and uncertainty. Some can increase the risk of miscarriage by 1-2% as well as produce false negative/positive results, and doctors can at best be 99% certain. I have a friend who was predicted to be a male with down's syndrome before birth, but instead turned out to be a healthy girl. While these percentages may seem very minor, they become more than a matter of probability when life and death is involved. And that's all before considering the emotional and financial pressures placed on families.


That doesn't surprise me at all... It's a shame the margin of error is that significant.
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