Testing for Down Syndrome in Catholic Health Care: Complicity in Eugenic Abortion

Catholic healthcare institutions, physicians, and midwives routinely employ testing for Down syndrome as a part of prenatal care. This testing is an essential part of eugenic abortion and often leads to it. Catholic teaching clearly forbids such testing when undertaken with abortive intent if the baby has Down syndrome or other abnormalities. This article discusses (1) the evolution of prenatal genetic testing and abortion, (2) how this testing may involve complicity in eugenic abortion, and (3) offers proposals to avoid and end Catholic healthcare’s cooperation with this evil. Summary: This article discusses why prenatal genetic testing as practiced in many Catholic healthcare institutions is ethically problematic and then proposes solutions.

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Prenatal Genetic Screening and Potential Complicity in Abortion: Considerations for Catholic Health Care

The Linacre Quarterly ◽

10.1177/0024363919886515 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 87 (2) ◽

pp. 206-217

Author(s):

Carolyn A. Laabs

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Genetic Screening ◽

Genetic Disorder ◽

Diagnostic Testing ◽

First Trimester ◽

The United States ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Prenatal Diagnostic ◽

Catholic Health Care

Prenatal genetic screening (PGS) is commonplace in the United States and in some parts of the world. The commonly held rationale for screening is to respect patient autonomy and to either allow the mother the opportunity to prepare herself to parent a child with a genetic disorder or to abort. As a result, PGS combined with prenatal diagnostic testing followed by abortion has significantly reduced the number of babies born with Down syndrome, for example, and, furthermore, has raised concerns about discrimination against persons with disabilities and eugenics. Although Catholic teaching clearly prohibits PGS and testing when undertaken with the intention of abortion, screening routinely is performed in Catholic health care, sometimes without regard to intent. This essay explores the issue of PGS in Catholic health care and suggests the development of a policy designed to support morally legitimate use of screening through an educational and informed consent process and attestation as to intent so as to prevent abortion or at least avoid complicity in it. Although the issue applies to prenatal testing as well as screening and for a variety of disorders as well as gender, this essay limits itself to a discussion of first trimester screening and a focus on Down syndrome. Objections to such a policy are discussed.

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“Exterminate! Exterminate!” Babies with Downs at Risk

Ethics & Medics ◽

10.5840/em201843914 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (9) ◽

pp. 1-2

Author(s):

James McTavish ◽

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

At Risk ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Obstetric Care ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Vital Importance ◽

Care Workers ◽

Catholic Health Care

It is estimated that 90 percent of mothers now opt for abortion, unfortunately, once a diagnosis of Down syndrome is confirmed, in what should be called “extermination of pregnancy.” Instead of denouncing such vile acts, society lauds them in the name of progress and technology. At times Catholic health care workers may be afraid to speak out against abortion. Usually they are presented with difficult scenarios, tragic and morally complex situations where the life of the mother, the life of the child in the womb, or the lives of both are in danger. However, while of vital importance, in developed countries these cases are extremely rare because of the availability of excellent obstetric care. Yet such rare cases are often used as a justification for allowing abortions in general.

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Psychosocial Predictors of Interest in Prenatal Genetic Screening

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1998.82.1.235 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 82 (1) ◽

pp. 235-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

L. Allen Furr ◽

Rachelle E. Seger

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Genetic Testing ◽

Prenatal Testing ◽

Preventive Health Care ◽

Political Orientation ◽

Preventive Health ◽

Psychosocial Predictors ◽

Prenatal Genetic Testing ◽

Abortion Attitudes ◽

Practical Implications

The purpose of the study was to identify psychosocial predictors of interest in prenatal genetic testing. Analysis of data from 886 responses in the 1996 Louisville Metropolitan Survey indicate that factors such as demographic characteristics and scores on health locus of control that predict utilization of other preventive health care are less applicable to predicting attitudes toward genetic testing. Regression analyses indicated that political orientation, identification with religion, and attitudes against abortion predicted less favorable responses to a question about prenatal genetic testing. Abortion attitudes were particularly strong indicators of respondents' stated interests in testing. The findings have practical implications in terms of promoting preventive health care. Personal values may lead individuals to believe that prenatal testing leads to the intention of abortion.

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