I agree. As painful a decision as it is,I could not continue the pregnancy IF the results were conclusive by more than one physician.

I'm pro-choice all the way...no question, abort!

I would give birth, but not allow the ventilators or other life extending equipment. I would just try to enjoy the short time we had together.

Adellabedella, interesting outlook on the situation. Thanks for the input!

First, I am pro-choice. I believe strongly that each individual should have the right to make their own decision on abortion, and to make it freely. ANd without recriminations from others.

That being said, however, I have realized over the years, that I could never have an abortion, myself. Even in this case, I would probably have the baby (and I WOULD HOLD HIM/HER).

IDK... The doctors told a friend of mine that his daughter would be totally deaf and mentally retarded. She turned out fine with just a very small hearing problem.

I myself have been misdiagnosed numerous times with health issues. I guesss what I'm saying is... I really don't think you can ever know for sure what is going on..especially with an unborn child. I know you're trying to throw out the question probably with the assumption that you know for sure, but you never really know for sure. My friend above had at least 3 different doctors/opinions tell him the same wrong thing. It's just something you'd have to factor in to your decision making... And I know Anencephaly (which I assume is what you are talking about or soemthing similar) is rarely misdiagnosed but Dr.'s aren't always 100% correct.

There was a mother in a neighboring church who had to go through carrying a child with the condition you discuss. She decided to keep the child and went through milestones with the child while he was in her... She named the child and posted many thoughts while asking for prayers: "We all went to the zoo today, today we celebrated our only Christmas together". The unborn child was treated as an already family member. It was sad but very, very touching. The one thing, even if people are pro-choice you need to remember, is to activity take part in killing your child (even if it will die later) is very hard on a mother. It's hard enough that your child will die, but to know you had a part in the killing would be even harder on me than carrying the baby to term. I would hope to try to have the strength to cherish what time I did have with my child even if it was not what or how I envisioned it would be.

Very tough question. If as you said the baby could live for possibly weeks or months, in excruciating pain and not be able to be held, then I would probably consider abortion. If the child passed within hours of birth, then I would not abort. No life support and I would definitely want the baby in my arms.

I'd feel terrible, but I'd abort.
(I really like your post, Carla.)

Oh, I read through your question a little too quickly. I do not know of any condition where a child would live in so much pain and not be sedated in today's day and age. Nor any that the child would die but you could never hold him.

Anencephaly came to my mind when answering the question. I think it's the condition where the brain is not closed and once born the baby will die but I don't think there's a lot of pain, etc.

Is there an actual condition of newborns you speak of with all the terms and conditions? Or is the question not plausible?

I'm pro-choice but I konw I couldn't abort. I would have the child and I'd encourage my daughter to have the child if it were her. This isn't the same, but when my nephew's wife was pregnant they told her that the left side of his heart wasn't formed at all and they would need to do an immediate surgery to bypass that side of the heart. While he has a lifelong heart condition, it turned out to be better than hoped for. His left side is formed and viable but they are not sure how long it will last. It is a bit smaller than it should be.

I know that this isn't the same at all as the condition you describe but my point is that sometimes doctors are not right and in the case of my nephew, the doctors were only half right.

By the way for those who may wonder, my nephew is now almost 2. He's a bit small for his age but then so was his dad so it may be genetic. He's a very normal 2 year old who doesn't seem to have any development issues. He had 4 different heart surgeries in his first year of life but did not require heart bypass. He did require open heart surgery. It seems he's out of the woods for at least awhile. yes, he will always have a heart condition but it is manageable and modern medicine is always improving.

And just how is the doctor supposed to know the baby will be in excruciating pain? Doctors don't know everything. I wouldn't trust a doctor who gave me that information. I would have the baby and wouldn't allow ventilators if there was no hope.

This reminded me of one of our Vascular doctors who came in to do a debridement on a patient's foot. I offered to get the patient some morphine first, doctor told me "oh, he can't feel anything"....as he was scraping the patient's foot with a scalpel...and the patient was wincing. I told the doctor that he WAS in pain and pointed to him. He then asked the patient if he was hurting. I went and got the morphine.

If the hypothetical conditions you set were absolutely factual then yes that is exactly what abortion is for. To carry that pregnancy to term would be cruel both for the infant and the parents.

Well, I'm going to be the odd-man out. Not an unusual position for me.

I could never, ever, not for any reason, have an abortion. My impending death, the child's impending death at birth, rape, whatever; I personally would not and could not have an abortion.

I've been very successful with not getting pregnant all those wild years, but had the rabbit died, I would have bitten the bullet, changed my life plans and life style, and proudly worn the mommy-hat.

Having worked in an NICU for most of my adult life, I have to tell you that we don't allow babies to be in pain. We, as nurses, are acutely aware of the signs of pain and distress in babies and fight to make our little ones comfortable.

I'm not sure what I would do, it would depend on the diagnosis, on my own health at the time, family support and a number of other factors.

If all these hypothetical things were true, I'd abort. I never have had an abortion or even know someone who has, never had a miscarriage, but I have always been pro- choice and always will be.

The first problem is many of these predictions are often not fact. Second, Women who have made the decision suffer guilt for the rest of their lives because they never REALLY know if the Dr. was correct. When faced with a horrible choice doing the right thing is often not the easiest for us. It is against our basic wiring to kill our children. It never is a decision our psyche can healthily live with. You don't get points in heaven for taking the easy way out. The world's standards are not God's, something to be mindful of!!

I'd never make the decision for someone else, though I guess I'm closer to Pro-Life than Pro-Choice (though not hard core either way). But I've known since I was in high school (40 years ago) that I wouldn't want to have an abortion myself. Like some of the others, I'd have my baby, and yes, I would hold him or her. And love him or her.

I count myself in the pro choice group, that being said I don't think that i could ever have an abortion. In this case there are really too many variables, doctor mistakes, prayer and miracles. I could never live with myself wondering if the baby would have been alright.

Stacie

Our DIL's cousin and her DH faced this with their first child. She carried to term a child she knew wouldn't live outside the womb. The baby died within hours of birth. They went on to have three healthy boys.

IMO medicine is currently going too far attempting to save children born very prematurely (22-24 weeks gestation). They DO suffer, from lack of development, and often from multiple surgeries. Some will live for a year or more in hospital, in an isolette, and if they sruvive, will suffer later impairments. These cases are growing exponentially. The emotional and financial costs are extreme. (Same is happening on the other end of life.)

Don't have a(n)SO.

Don't want to make any absolute statements about this that I can't prove, but ...

... as far as I know ... I've never been pregnant, myself.

I would have to do some serious thinking about this, as I consider life precious ...

... but think that I would, in consultation with that SO, terminate the pregnancy: an extremely tough life, painful and short, is very bad news.

I would hope that, faced with such a choice regarding me, that's the choice that my parents might have made.

And, yes, there is the possibility that, after such a prognosis ... the little one, after having been brought to birth, might have proved them all wrong and have gone on to a fruitful life.

Maybe.

ole joyful

"would be in excruciating pain the entire time"

Of course I'd stop the pregnancy. I wouldn't want a baby to be in pain.