Down Syndrome Disappearing in Iceland; Similar Events Will Become More Common

We are now living in an era when infants born with genetic disorders such asDown Syndrome will disappear in some societies (see:"What kind of society do you want to live in?": Inside the country where Down syndrome is disappearing). Below is an excerpt from this article explaining this process. Read the whole article if you are so motivated. With the rise of prenatal screening tests across Europe and the United States, the number of babies born with Down syndrome has significantly decreased, but few countries have come as close to eradicating Down syndrome births as Iceland. Since prenatal screening tests were introduced in Iceland in the early 2000s, the vast majority of women -- close to 100 percent -- who received a positive test for Down syndrome terminated their pregnancy.While the tests are optional, the government states that all expectant mothers must be informed about availability of screening tests, which reveal the likelihood of a child being born with Down syndrome. Around 80 to 85 percent of pregnant women choose to take the prenatal screening test....Using an ultrasound, blood test and the mother's age, the test, called the Combination Test [orQuadruple Test in England], determines whether the fetus will have a chromosome abnormality, the most common of which results in Down syndrome....Other countries aren't lagging too far behind in Down syndrome termination rates.According to the most recent data available, the United States has an est...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical Lab Testing Lab Industry Trends Medical Ethics Medical Research Source Type: blogs