University of North Carolina Prof Suggests Abortion for Down Syndrome Babies

[Guest guest]

*University of North Carolina Prof Suggests Abortion for Down Syndrome

Babies*

*by Ertelt*

*LifeNews.com Editor

February 17,** 2008*

*Chapel Hill, NC (LifeNews.com) -- *A University of North Carolina professor

is under fire for suggesting that parents who discover their unborn child

will have Down syndrome should have abortions. The comments offended one

student who has a brother with the condition and highlighted attempts by

disabilities groups to head off abortion as a solution to the disability.

Professor Albert told his embryology students last week that babies

who have Down syndrome should be aborted.

" In my opinion, the moral thing for older mothers to do is to have

amniocentesis, as soon during pregnancy as is safe for the fetus, test

whether placental cells have a third chromosome #21, and abort the fetus if

it does, " he said, according to a Raleigh news and Observer report.

has taught at the college for 35 years and he told the newspaper he's

made the pro-abortion statement several times before in an attempt to spark

discussion.

He told the newspaper he has no apologies for the remark.

" I know somebody who had a child like this, and it ruined their life, " he

said.

Ironically, he also indicated he likely wouldn't have an abortion if he and

his wife were pregnant with a disabled baby.

But Lara Frame, a senior in the biology class, told the Raleigh newspaper

the comment offended her because she has a brother with the condition.

" Biology is not an opinion subject, " she said. " It's a facts-based subject.

And though abortion is legal, it's not a fact that you should abort every

baby with Down syndrome. "

' comment comes at time when Down syndrome advocacy groups are dealing

with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which has been

suggesting all pregnant women test for disabilities and consider an abortion

if a baby is disabled.

Studies have shown anywhere from 59 to 92 percent of pregnancies end in

abortion when a baby with Down syndrome is involved.

Amy , executive director of the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas

City, told the Associated Press, " I think you can see rather quickly why our

community would be concerned about it when you are talking about eliminating

a whole race of people. "

Pro-life Sen. Sam Brownback has worked on a Congressional bill that would

require physicians to provide more information to prospective parents about

raising a child with Down syndrome and referrals to help networks.

ACTION: Contact UNC about Professor at Office of the Chancellor, 103

South Building, Campus Box 9100, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-9100. Email

chancellor@..., call or fax .

--

Ari Ne'eman

President

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network

1101 15th Street, NW Suite 1212

Washington, DC 20005

http://www.autisticadvocacy.org

[Guest guest]

Ari,

This is a nice initiative, in intention, but it really needs an extra piece to

make it complete. I can just see that if they pass this measure about ASD, then

Autism Speaks will want to be the organization giving the information. We do

not need the cookie monster to guard the cookies, as ti were. Can anyone think

of a way to avoid this problem?

Ari Ne'eman wrote:

*-

Pro-life Sen. Sam Brownback has worked on a Congressional bill that would

require physicians to provide more information to prospective parents about

raising a child with Down syndrome and referrals to help networks.

ACTION: Contact UNC about Professor at Office of the Chancellor, 103

South Building, Campus Box 9100, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-9100. Email

chancellor@..., call or fax .

--

Ari Ne'eman

President

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network

1101 15th Street, NW Suite 1212

Washington, DC 20005

http://www.autisticadvocacy.org