Popular actress Sally Phillips has spoken out against prenatal screenings for Down’s syndrome, as they lead to more abortions for unborn children with the condition.
In an article in The Sunday Times, Phillips recalled how when her son Olly was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome she met with almost entirely negative reactions.
Medical professionals reacted “as if it were a tragedy”, and Phillips says that people now seem to believe that “pain is to be avoided at all costs” and that disability is terrible.
‘Outcry’
Theresa May’s Conservative government pledged to roll out non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) nationally, but this is yet to happen.
NIPT tests unborn babies for certain conditions more accurately than standard approaches. It has been claimed that it detects Down’s syndrome with around 99 per cent accuracy.
“It is a sad indictment of society that the things people with Down’s syndrome offer are not valued and are thrown away so easily”.
Earlier this week a Freedom of Information request obtained by The Sunday Times revealed that the number of babies born with Down’s syndrome has fallen by 30 per cent in hospitals where NIPT has been introduced.
Phillips said: “If we were screening for sexuality or race, there would be an enormous outcry.”
‘Sad indictment’
She continued: “Why does it matter if the Down’s syndrome population is reduced? Obviously, for us, it means fewer friends and potential partners for our children.
“It also means there is less incentive to invest in education and improved healthcare and job opportunities and the specific kind of support that our people need.
“It is a sad indictment of society that the things people with Down’s syndrome offer are not valued and are thrown away so easily”.