The Dangerous Diagnosis of Down Syndrome

A Down syndrome diagnosis should not put a child’s life at risk

Whether a child is disabled or able-bodied, they deserve a chance at life, and the culture should serve as an advocate for vulnerable children in the womb instead of condoning their destruction through abortion. 

At 15 weeks into a pregnancy, a mother receives a diagnosis: Her child has Down’s syndrome. 32 U.S. states allow her to make a fatal choice on that diagnosis alone. She can give this child the same opportunity for a thriving life as any other or prevent the very chance.

The data we have at this time shows the child’s chances are low. Disturbingly low. To be specific, less than half of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb are born.

The concerns and worries of a mother receiving this diagnosis are not unfounded. A person with Down syndrome will be guaranteed to be at risk for a variety of health troubles, such as heart defects, sleep apnea, and hearing loss. They may experience more difficulty gaining access to the same opportunities, education, and social experiences. 

However, the average life expectancy for an individual with Down syndrome today is 60 years of age. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides free public education for students with disabilities. Organizations such as the National Down Syndrome Society are actively advocating for changes in legislation that provide more aid and less discrimination against those with Down syndrome.

With so much work being done to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and so many medical advancements improving health and freedom, it’s unfair to continue to conclude that bringing these lives into the world is too risky. In fact, it’s discriminatory. 

We should be rejoicing at the steps that have been taken, the innovation being pushed forward–and choosing to celebrate and protect the vibrant life that can result.

A school in Dublin, Ireland, designed to prepare young adults with Down syndrome for the workforce, has opened a café to provide a safe, hands-on experience. The Together Academy was founded in 2021 and focuses on increasing students’ skills and connecting them to employment opportunities.

The Academy’s website includes profiles of some of their students, who share the impact the program has had on them. “The college and café programs have opened up doors for me, and I hope they show people how capable people with Down syndrome are. We can do anything,” states Orla Casey.

Eoin McHugh says, “I enjoy being the front of house when working in the café so I can greet customers and make them feel welcome. I have a busy life, and the experience and training I receive in the academy helps me meet my goals.”

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is a similar organization in the United States, established in 2016. They have 19 shops and over 400 employees who work to bring opportunity and inclusion to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Meanwhile, a study of Down syndrome termination rates in the U.S. concluded the national mean to be 67%, with a range of 61-93% from a search of articles published between 1995 and 2011. The U.S. presents such a wide range of rates due to a lack of reliable data on prenatal diagnosis and subsequent terminations. Even so, it can be concluded that well over half of all babies testing positive for Down syndrome at around 15 weeks will not be born.

A country that rightly advocates for diversity and punishes ableism is at the same time deciding before birth that certain souls do not deserve their own chance—because of the presence of the same differences and difficulties it celebrates in adults.

Programs such as the Together Academy and Bitty & Beau’s demonstrate the joy and benefit brought by investing in people with disabilities. A teacher of the Together Academy said, “For our students, it’s the skills and the practical end that they really shine in, and any customer that comes in here definitely leaves with a smile on their face.”

“A human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop,” reads Bitty and Beau’s homepage. How beautiful would it be if that human rights movement took hold of these lives long before they were of an age to study and work?

As of July 2023, more than half of U.S. states allow abortion for any reason at least until 20 weeks, which is past the prenatal diagnosis point of Down syndrome. One diagnosis could change the outcome of a child’s life, and it would be done legally, despite the unknown amount of dangers that await any person walking the Earth. At this point in time, the diagnosis itself is more risky to the child’s life than their potential condition.

Nothing is guaranteed to us. No child, no parent is guaranteed the life we may imagine. Starting a family must be done with that truth in mind: what is given to us is not without intention. It’s in our hands to decide what we will do with what we’ve been given and how we can best thrive in the blessings and difficulties that are present in any season at any moment.

These precious children deserve to be given the same chances, love, and respect as any other. Just as each of us is taught, it’s wrong to discriminate against people based on traits they cannot control. A Down syndrome diagnosis should not put the child’s life at risk–it does not erase her humanity, just as finding out her gender would not, either. 

It is inconsistent for a society to oppose the discrimination of people with disabilities in the workplace or everyday life while condoning the deliberate killing of disabled children in the womb. The diagnosis of a disability does not erase the humanity of the child, and now is the time to protect preborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome from discriminatory violence.