A Canadian doctor expressed concern that Sarah Palin’s decision to give birth to Trig, who has Down’s Syndrome, may have negative consequences for women in his nation and elsewhere.  How so?  Instead of getting abortions 90% of the time, Dr. Andre Lalonde says, more women may discover that they can deal with the challenge of such a child, and refuse abortions.  Quelle horreur!

Sarah and Todd Palin’s decision to complete her recent pregnancy, despite advance notice that their baby Trig had Down syndrome, is hailed by many in the pro-life movement as walking the walk as well as talking the talk.

But a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the United States completing a Down syndrome pregnancy may prompt other women to make the same decision against abortion because of that genetic abnormality. And thereby reduce the number of abortions.

Published reports in Canada say about 9 out of 10 women given a diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy through abortion.

Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ottawa, worries that Palin’s now renowned decision may cause abortions in Canada to decline as other women there and elsewhere opt to follow suit.

This sounds more like the abortion industry worrying over a declining demand than a physician caring for a patient.  Parents of DS children manage to have fulfilling lives, and they would say because of their child and not despite the decision to give birth. The Palins do provide a role model in that manner, as do the millions of other parents with such children who get no special attention for their love and sacrifice.

What kind of doctor looks at this situation and says, “The worry is that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada”?  Does the sight of a strong family represent that great a threat to the abortion industry in Canada or elsewhere?  The SOGC tried recovering from this statement by insisting that doctors don’t push women carrying DS children into abortions, but a Down’s Syndrome support group says that’s simply false:

Members of Canada’s Down syndrome community say that many of the country’s medical professionals only give messages of fear to parents who learn their baby will be born with the genetic condition.

“It’s very dark,” said Krista Flint, executive director of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society. “They hear a lot about the medical conditions that are sometimes associated with Down syndrome. They hear about the burden … it places on children and a marriage. They hear about things like shortened life expectancy. They hear a lot about the challenges of a life with Down syndrome.”

Given Lalonde’s primary concern as stated by Lalonde himself, the fear seems to be that abortionists might have to deal with fewer customers.