ABCNews
Advertisement
Search
Down Syndrome Births Drop as More Abort
ABCNews -- After prenatal testing, Boston filmmaker Melanie McLaughlin faced the likelihood that her 12-week-old fetus had Down syndrome, or a heart defect. She prayed for the heart defect. Grace, now 2, was born with both: trisomy 21, or Down syndrome, and holes in all four chambers of her heart, which were repaired shortly after birth. "I fell in love with her and handed her over to the doctor for surgery not knowing if I would get her back," McLaughlin said. "I was swearing to the powers to be that I didn't mean it, I was OK with the Down syndrome." McLaughlin said she realized what a "horrible wish" she had made for her child. "I was so naive, with no experience with anyone with Down syndrome," she said. "I got a huge education about that...
Next >>
Health Main
ABC News Main
Photo: ABCNEWS (syndicate)
11.24.09 - Updated 4:36am ET
Copyright (c) 2009 ABCNews Internet Ventures