REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Virtually 100 percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome in Iceland are aborted, according to an Aug. 14 CBS News report.
Iceland “has on average just one or two children born with Down syndrome per year” out of a population of 330,000, the report said.
The reason for the lack of Down syndrome births is that genetic testing leads nearly all mothers whose children are expected to have Down syndrome to opt for abortion.
Icelandic law requires all expectant mothers to be informed about the availability of prenatal genetic screening, and some 80–85 percent perform the testing, CBS reported. Some children born with Down syndrome are carried to term only because screenings misdiagnosed them as healthy, according to CBS.
This situation is “a tragedy” and should remind churches “to embrace children and adults with special needs and lead the way in showing the world how to include those with special needs,” said Tracy McElhattan, a Kansas children’s ministry professional who holds a doctorate in special education.
According to CBS, 67 percent of U.S. babies diagnosed with Down syndrome were aborted from 1995–2011. (BP)
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