Down's syndrome test risks: your views

Give Down's children a chance

"I watched your report on Down's syndrome screening with interest. I applaud the intention of the report in warning parents of the dangers of the screening programme.

"However, there is no cure for Down's syndrome. In most cases, following a positive test, the parents are given the choice of having a child with Down's syndrome, (which is described in terms of the worst possible cases) or simply to abort the child.

"With the benefit of education, children with Down Syndrome can now grow into fully functional people with fulfilling lives and should be given a chance at life.

"I have three sons, the second of whom is two years old and has DS. He is healthy and happy, and is a little slow at learning, but he is incredibly eager to learn.

"It is my opinion that the money spent on developing and performing there screening programmes could be spent on education for children with DS."

Sender's name witheld

Lack of information about Down's

"I've just watched your programme on Down's screening. I have a 1-year-old boy with Down's syndrome.

"Had the combined screening tests in New York, which ended up being a false negative.

"I think (Dominic Lawson's) remarks, about the lack of information and knowledge about Down's that the people who deal with your pregnancy have, were only confirmed by the obstetrician saying that they are in touch with families that "have been affected" by Down's syndrome births.

"You are affected by cancer or heart disease, not by the birth of your baby."

Sender's name witheld

Consultant error

"In 1994 my wife and I thought we had done our best to keep ourselves informed. However, we were not prepared for the events that unfolded.

"A telephone call from the consultant to our home had my wife in tears. I continued with the call from the consultant, who went on to tell me that our baby was at risk from Down's syndrome and that we should attend his clinic as soon as possible and take an amniocentesis test...

"The next day my wife and I consulted our GP, who disregarded our concerns as foolish and made the appointment with the consultant for the next day.

"However, the consultant did not appear. Instead it was a technician, who informed us that our unborn was not at risk from Down's."

Sender's name witheld

Hidden benefits of testing

"I had an amnio in my 2nd pregnancy. On my nuchal scan I was further along than I thought, so missed out, and after I did alot of reading about the triple test, I had one done privately. It came back OK but boderline, so decided to persue with the amnio after doing a lot of reading up about it.

"I'm glad I had the amnio done, as although my baby was clear from downs they detected that he had the cystic fibrosis gene! I'm glad that I had one now as when he gets older and wants his own children he should get his partner tested for CF."

Sender's name witheld

"Did you know that the incidence of Down's syndrome is much more closely connected with the age of the father than of the mother? Yet I believe that when testing is offered it is on the basis of maternal age rather than paternal.

"Back in 1980, as a prima gravida aged 39, I was under a lot of pressure to have an amniocentesis. But I knew the risks, and remembered a paper from a statistician that I had read in the '70s.

"As my husband was 14 years my junior, I felt justified in holding out and refusing the test. I had a lovely (normal) baby girl... and a boy 4 years later; also lovely and normal."

Sender's name witheld

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