In reading the other letter to the editor, I missed this one:
Re: It’s Primarily A Medical Matter, letter to the editor, Jan. 11.
Dr. Philip Ney states that there is “no scientific basis for abortion” — he couldn’t be further from the truth. Many years ago here in Ontario we introduced maternal serum screening, a blood test that allows us to screen for birth defects such as Down’s syndrome and Spina Bifida. If a test comes back positive, we offer the patient amniocentesis. If that also confirms the presence of either of these conditions, the patient is counselled on options — one of which is to terminate the pregnancy.
It is a difficult and anguishing decision for many patients to make — but it is a decision based on science, not whimsy.
Dr. Susan Piccinin, Ancaster, Ont.
Let those words sink in. To this doctor, taking the life of a Down’s child is a matter of science. As they say, science tells us what we can do, but it never tells us what we ought to do. And for this doctor to be so cold-hearted in the presence of disability makes me shudder. At least she’s honest.
by 
‘progressive’ with all its ‘tolerance’ hanging out
Especially since Dr. Ney didn’t say that there was no scientific basis for abortion. Rather, said that a) “there is no medical necessity for abortions”, and b) [abortion is] “a medical procedure that provides the patient no scientifically established benefit”.
Unless Dr. Piccinin seriously wants to contend that aborting a child with Down Syndrome is a scientifically-established benefit…
The screening itself carries a risk of miscarriage, so there’s simply no point even having the screening unless you’ve already decided to abort if the kid has Down’s. So offering the parents options AFTER the test comes back positive is dishonest. The whole “options” discussion should be taking place before the testing even starts.
Everything she is saying makes perfect sense, if you had the option why would you want to bring something into this world which will be hindered and most likely come to an end shorter than others? Take your emotions out of the equation and think logical.