If your child had a genetic abnormality, would you want to know before birth?

Question

Today at my first prenatal appointment, my doctor asked if we wanted to do any testing for genetic abnormalities. She said it is just a simple blood test. I can't decide if my child were to have Downs Syndrome or something else "abnormal", would I want to know about it before birth or not? I'm a planner so I feel like I would so that we can prepare and have a plan in motion before the baby is here. But I also know that it won't change anything in how we feel and care for our child, so I don't know if it's necessary.

Answer

At first I was thinking this is crazy I will love my baby no matter what... but then I got to thinking.. if something happened to be wrong I would want to be where the best doctors are to take care of my baby if need be. I would hate to be unprepared in that sense.  I will be getting mine dome within the next couple weeks.

Answer

This is my second pregnancy and I’m not doing it. I’m going to love this one just as much as my 5 yr old who has autism which is something they can’t test

Answer

With my first daughter we didn't do the testing because of the fact that we knew we would love her no matter what. With this baby the doctor explained it to us that she personally did the testing to be completely prepared for whatever difficulties the baby might have and so the doctors were prepared not that she would love it any less. So we are going to do the testing this time. And she told us we will be able to find out earlier if the baby is a boy or a girl because of the testing :)

Answer

My husband and I want all tests that are covered. I don’t want to go through pregnancy expecting a healthy baby when that’s not the case. And we aren’t against ending pregnancy if it’s a bad diagnosis. We didn’t have trouble getting pregnant, but I can understand that others who had a hard time conceiving would want to hang onto the baby they were given.

Answer

Well the window for nuchal translucency test is a small 1 week window and you also get to find out the gender. I’m only doing it for the gender 😂

Answer

I’m not as concerned about DS as I would be other issues. Like heart conditions or problems that are going to require some sort of medical intervention soon after birth. Most of these sort of things can be found out with ultrasound but I’d still like to know things like that. We had to opt out of the cystic fibrosis prenatal test because of insurance. The baby will be tested before it leaves the hospital and that’s covered, but that’s still something I’d like to know about. Like others have said, it’s more about the health of the baby and it getting the right care if something were wrong soon after birth.

Answer

I was going to do the testing, and then my mom told me this: 
“Will finding out your baby has Down’s syndrome change your mind? Would you abort the baby or love the baby any differently” 
I said, of course not. The baby would be loved even more. So we aren’t doing the testing!

Answer

I am going back and forth on this test myself. Most days I want to do it just so I can prepare with proper doctors and pediatricians. Other days I don’t want to know because I’m afraid of the false positives! My appointment next week is when they would do the testing so we’ll see what I do! I’m interested in knowing the sex of the baby now though and since they can find that out with this test too, that might be what convinces me to go ahead and do it!

Answer

Personal opinion, I would love my baby even if it has anything or not... my babies well being won't ever affect how much I care. If I knew that something is there would make me more nervous and stressed

Answer

It’s definitely a personal decision but I need to know 100%. My husband and I have full time jobs and I cannot give mine up bc I’m the bread winner. I would want to be as prepared financially and mentally as much as possible before giving birth. We would also likely move back home as we live on the coast now. Huge decisions would need to be made for us.

If your child had a genetic abnormality, would you want to know before birth?

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