Would you abort a disabled child?

27 Comments

So the baby's born without legs, or with Down's Syndrome. It can be seen three ways. A) You're putting the kid out of the misery, pain, and humiliation they would face in their lives, and as such is morally right, the same as if putting a wounded horse down is considered good. B) The parents don't have to deal with even MORE medical care for a child they would have had to pay an arm and a leg for anyway, and C) If they're at an abortion clinic, they were gonna get rid of the unborn brat anyway. Why would the kid being disabled change their minds about killing it? If anything, it would insure they would pay for a cheap abortion.

I see no point in raising for example, a mentally retarded child. Take the emotion out of it and consider the fact that this persons life will never live up to any sort of potential and will ultimately die alone and in a state of confusion.

Further, it's a lot to ask of any parent to care for and love a permanently malfunctioning child. Those saying such children are a "blessing" are delusional. Such severe disabilities are debilitating and it's cruel to let them go on knowing the life they will lead. Even in the animal kingdom, the weakest and lamest are culled from the herd.

yes 39
no 20
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Comments ( 27 )
  • Cuntsiclestick
    8 years ago | pl

    I honestly would. My older brother is mentally disabled and seeing how much stress my parents were put through and dealing with his violent outbursts myself, I just don't have it in me to go through all of that again. Seriously, I have nightmares about this guy destroying things and trying to kick the crap out me. I am DONE dealing with that.

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  • ______________
    8 years ago

    Anyone could have a kick ass life with no legs. Just google Nick Vujicic - he doesn't have arms either. But with arms you could still play games, use IIN, write and read books, get around. I certainly wouldn't kill such a child.
    As for mental illness, it varies. I have known such people who certainly couldn't enjoy life to the fullest, but were concious and capable of living and being happy. It can be bad and it can be alright. There's also the possibility that the tests were incorrect, or that the test caused damage to the child.

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  • Goomats
    8 years ago

    Wow. What has happened to all the advancement on how we view and respect disabled people? Yes, it is HARD for someone to have a disability. Yes, it is HARD for family members as well...but is a disabled person's live completely not worth living? Can a disabled person not contribute any goodness in the world?

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  • chained_rage
    8 years ago

    That awkward moment when you locked your keys inside your car in front of an abortion clinic and you have to go in there and ask if anybody has a coat hanger you could borrow

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    • anti-hero
      8 years ago

      Stealing other people's lines again.

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  • bluegreenpink
    8 years ago

    You cant say having no legs is the same as down syndrome. Both of those I would never abort. However a more debilitating condition that would be make life very hard for both the parents and child, plus if it wasn't too far on in the pregnancy then I would consider it. But being without limbs or downs syndrome - wtf? My mum works with children with downs syndrome and they are normal, lovely, children who just have some learning and understanding-about-life difficulties.

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  • westoptic
    8 years ago

    If the fetus had a severe cognitive or genetic condition or disorder, I would. 50% of miscarriages are due to chromosomal anomalies and a miscarriage is just a spontaneous abortion your body performs because it knows there is a problem with the fetus. I wouldn't want to doom my potential child to living a miserable life, and there are conditions I've seen people born with that I personally would not want to live with and would prefer being dead over living with such a condition. So yes, under certain circumstances and depending on the "disability", I would.

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  • omgcatz
    8 years ago

    No, I personally would not. Not everyone can handle a disabled child, that is true. But I personally would be way too attached to my child to abort it even if I knew he was going to die eventually. Everyone dies anyway.

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  • Riddler
    8 years ago

    My cousin is autistic :/. I love him and so does my uncle and aunt. They have problems with him sometimes but I do not wish death upon him and I sure it would upset his sister as well. Im glad they didn't kill my cousin Danial. Hes actually can be incredibly sweet.

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    • slings_and_arrows
      8 years ago

      Yeh but autism isn't as bad as many other things. I can't imagine anyone aborting over autism or it being allowed, not that you can check for it.

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  • [Old Memory]
    8 years ago

    Im not against abortion for other people, but personally I would never want to abort my own children. I would accept my kids either way and I personally feel life is not about choices and sometimes you have to accept what you are given.

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  • NeofelisNebulosa
    8 years ago

    Really touchy subject. Your logic is sound. But a pro-Lifer still wouldn't care. My mother is an extreme pro-lifer and she thinks people who have abortions are evil.

    Interestingly, she had an abortion when she was young because she was told the child would have mental retardation.

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  • CanadianCowboy
    8 years ago

    They would never be able to enjoy life or accomplish anything, therefore they would feel miserable and would be taunted until they die their probably early death. So probably yes.

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    • anti-hero
      8 years ago

      Disabled people can't accomplish anything?

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      • CanadianCowboy
        8 years ago

        VERY disabled that is, especially mentally. Some can but most unfortunately can't, it's kinda sad

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        • anti-hero
          8 years ago

          Incorrect. What is your definition of accomplishment?

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        • omgcatz
          8 years ago

          You'll never know unless you give them a chance.

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  • [Old Memory]
    8 years ago

    This is a very sensitive subject. I would opt for the abortion for all the reasons you listed.

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  • thegypsysailor
    8 years ago

    I think that the tests available today are the 'blessing', not a defective kid.
    As a parent 40 odd years ago, I can tell you the fears about birthing a defective child while the child was gestating, were not inconsiderable.

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  • NobodyKnows
    8 years ago

    Depends on the disability and how far along in the pregnancy I was.

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  • Cats
    8 years ago

    If I felt that my child wouldn't have any quality of life then I would abort.

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  • ClaireM
    8 years ago

    NN, I have cp. I can speak, eat, & everyday I thank my lucky stars I can; it could be so much worse.

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  • Mytwin295
    8 years ago

    i would probably keep the mentally challenged one and try for a second more "normal" one.

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    • NobodyKnows
      8 years ago

      That's a big damn risk. A lot of families try that and end up with ANOTHER disabled child. 8(

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      • Mytwin295
        8 years ago

        Well then, i guess the first one will have the second one and vice versa to connect with if I end up having a second mentally challenged child :)

        The only reason why i would abort the child is if I knew it has tay sachs in which case the child would only live to about 5 anyway.

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  • NeuroNeptunian
    8 years ago

    Honestly, it's possible. If the disability is mild then I probably wouldn't but if the disability is profound... well... I once worked with children who has profound mental and physical disabilities and for all the love I had for them, seeing what they had to go through, I would never wish it on anyone.

    I am a sane and optimistic person most of the time. I appreciate things in life that many of my peers take for granted. At the same time, if I was living with what one of my students lived with (cerebral palsy) and I had my same mind but a body that made it literally impossible to move, speak, eat or care for myself, I would surely want to die.

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  • Freedom_
    8 years ago

    If down syndrome is detected, there is always a chance the results are wrong. What if the fetus' genes look crazy because he's the motha fuckin' messiah?!

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