Dozens of babies conceived through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) have been aborted after being diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, the Daily Mail reported yesterday.
Records held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority reveal that approximately 123 IVF babies were aborted due to genetic abnormalities over the last five years, the equivalent of one termination every fortnight.
In 2009 alone, the latest year for which figures are available, 31 babies with Down’s syndrome and conceived via IVF were aborted, making a diagnosis of the condition the most commonly cited reason for a termination.
Amongst those conceived naturally, more than 1,000 Down’s babies are aborted every year, and nine out of ten women will choose an abortion if informed that their baby has the condition.
Since there is no requirement for the reasons for terminations to be recorded, it is possible that the numbers are far higher.
Recent studies have shown that IVF treatments actually cause a higher risk of birth defects in babies than would otherwise naturally occur.
Pro-life activists say that the statistics show a growing trend towards treating children as ‘designer goods’, with mothers spending thousands of pounds for fertility treatment at private clinics only to discard a child who turns out to be not what they wanted.
Comment
Josephine Quintavalle, of campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said:
“It is generally accepted that there is a significant under-reporting of abortions of babies with Down's syndrome, but I think we are especially saddened when we read of such abortions in association with IVF, where the women involved were clearly originally desperate to have a child.”
Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
“We have to question the values of a society which focuses so greatly on adult “wants” over every other concern.
“Life is a gift and all life should be equally valued. Nobody should have their life taken away from them because they are disabled.”
Source
Resources
BBC Radio Birmingham: Andrea Williams discusses termination of babies with Down’s Syndrome