My Doctor Told Me if I Really Loved My Unborn Baby With Down Syndrome, I’d Have an Abortion

National   |   Sarah Zagorski   |   Sep 7, 2015   |   9:54AM   |   Washington, DC

In 2013, North Dakota was the first state to make it illegal for a doctor to abort a baby due to a genetic fetal abnormality, such as Down syndrome. Then, earlier this year, the Ohio Legislature introduced legislation that would do the same and it is expected to pass.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sarah LaTourette (R-Bainbridge Township), said the following about the pro-life legislation: “As with any bill that they perceive as a threat to their industry, pro-abortion groups have been vocal in their opposition to HB 135. However, they are presenting the same arguments they use for every pro-life bill. While I make no effort to conceal my pro-life convictions, I firmly believe this bill is about discrimination, not abortion. Choosing to end an individual’s life simply because they are different, or might have Down syndrome, is discrimination. There is simply no other way to look at it.”

Unfortunately, most abortion proponents oppose measures that protect babies with genetic conditions even though they ban some late-abortions. Additionally, some doctors try to pressure women into having abortions if their child has Down syndrome because they believe their life is not worth living.

In fact, The Federalist reports that one woman was told she would be doing her baby a favor if she killed her in abortion.Rachel Mullen shared that her doctor suspected that her child had Down’s and immediately suggested she obtain a late-term abortion.

She explained, “The doctor had nothing positive to say about my child. In strong-armed fashion, she told me if I really loved my child I would have an abortion, because it was a caring decision that put the child first. She actually said, ‘You would be doing your baby a favor to have an abortion.’”

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At the beginning of the appointment, Mullen made it clear that she was not going to have an abortion regardless of what the tests revealed but her doctor continued to push the issue. “The first thing I said to this doctor was that I would never abort my child, and I didn’t want her to even suggest this. She either found this to be a challenge she wanted to win or she just didn’t care about what I said,” Mullen explained.

Her doctor’s suggestion was especially shocking because her argument was that if Mullen loved her child, she would kill her in abortion. The doctor also lied to Mullen about her baby’s potential future. She told her that her child may not live to see her first birthday even though most people with Down’s have a life expectancy of 60-years. Mullen left her appointment feeling angry and concerned for women who are uninformed about Down syndrome.

Here’s more from Mullen:

I was informed that I really didn’t have time to waste, since I was in my second trimester. The obstetrician said I should get an abortion as soon as possible before more people realized I was pregnant. I agreed to only one thing at that appointment. I had the blood test repeated so I could prepare by interviewing pediatricians who could properly care for my child.

I was angry that this doctor had stripped my child of any humanity in an attempt to get a notch in her forceps. I left the hospital not feeling sad or mourning the “perfect” life this doctor said my child could never have. I left the hospital filled with anger. I was angry that this doctor had no regard for my wishes to respect life. I was angry that I was bullied with incorrect facts in an attempt to get me to end my child’s life. Mostly, I was angry that this doctor had stripped my child of any humanity in an attempt to get a notch in her forceps.

My mind kept returning to women in this position who are less educated than I am and how this doctor would have easily influenced them. I could imagine them being swayed by the doctor’s scare tactics and immediately making an appointment at an abortion clinic. That so many of these children are aborted is evidence that my case is certainly not an exception, but is the norm.

As LifeNews.com previously reported, there is a new connection between abortions on babies with Down syndrome and research projects that use fetal “tissue” for experimentation. The founder and medical director at Women’s Health Services, Laurent C. Delli-Bovi, conducted a project using the brains of 22 aborted babies to find out more about people with Down syndrome, as well as those with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The 2011 study was funded with public money from the National Institutes of Health and utilized aborted babies who were 14-22 weeks gestation.

Cheryl Sullenger from Operation Save America elaborated on the project.

She said, “Of the 22 baby brains used for experimentation, 11 were harvested from five boys and six girls with Down syndrome, while the other 11 brains were harvested from five boys and six girls without the genetic disorder. The latter were used as control subjects during the experimentation process.”

Abortion is always a tragedy; however, it is especially sickening that our society, and some in the medical community, supports abortion for babies with disabilities and even see it as a good option. In Mullen’s article, she explains that later she found out that her baby did not have the condition but the experience opened her eyes to the discrimination these children face.

She said, “I can’t imagine anyone with an ounce of a conscience believing that ripping a child to bits would be considered a favor. But, she was trying to strip my child of humanity without concern for her ethical integrity.” She concluded by saying legislation to protect babies with disabilities is critical because it would make what her doctor did a felony and potentially cause her to lose her medical license.

rachelmullen