The only scientific problem with that idea at this point is a possible danger to the mother and to the fetus from the puncturing procedure. Undoubtedly, however, this procedure can be made as safe as the delivery of the baby.
The real problem is the chance for error that is inherent in amniocentesis. There is not only the chance that a normal fetus could possibly be incorrectly identified as being deformed, there is also a chance that doctors' and professionals' misconceptions about Mongolism may cause them to advise parents, wrongly, to destroy "the vegetable."
Since Mongoloids make up about 20 per cent of the retarded population, they are often used in case studies of medical ethics situations. Opponents of amniocentesis and subsequent abortion, and of mercy-killing after birth defend their positions on purely humanistic grounds. Normal or not, they say, "it"--the baby--is human and its life should be preserved.
On the other side of the issue are the doctors and scientists who say that the test is accurate enough and that the child's low IQ will make him or her a burden on the parents and on the society. Very often in actual cases the request for abortion or mercy-killing comes from the parents themselves. Nevertheless, the impetus comes from the medical profession.
The vocabulary used by doctors to describe Mongoloids is frightening. Just the word Mongoloid itself conjurs up a race--labelling this child as someone not just handicapped, but practically outside of our own familiar species. In the best pregnancy counselling offered, the parents are told that the child will need "love and affection," but will never be "like other children." At worst, we learn that this child will be a burden on society. It is obvious that there is a fear of this handicap--a fear over and above that of other handicaps. A child born blind or paraplegic will obviously be more of a burden to the parents than a normal child and will never be completely "like other children."
It has never been proved though, that a child with the one extra chromosome cannot, with good care and an education as good and thorough as that afforded normal children, develop into a happy and productive member of society. On the contrary, most evidence indicates that child who manages to sneak by the preconceptions, although not of "normal" intelligence is as sensitive, as creative and as loving, or more so, than his or her normal brothers and sisters.
***
KATHRYN HAS DEEP blue eyes and blond braids. She leaves out articles when she talks. She talks loud and fast. She is bossy.
A teacher took Kathryn down to the high school to illustrate a lecture on mental retardation. Kathryn pulled the teacher over into the corner and whispered in her ear.
"You tell them. I'm the teacher. Tell them." Then she moved to the front of the room. "Good morning boys and girls." She waited. "Good morning boys and girls." Nothing happened. "I said good morning boys and girls." Finally someone caught on.
"Good morning teacher," a boy said from the corner. He looked like a greaser, like a hood. His dark hair was slicked back and he was wearing Italian pointed shoes and a purple translucent shirt. Kathryn beamed.
"What's your name?" she asked him.
"Joseph."
"Hi, Joseph, you're my friend," she finished them all.
"Okay boys and girls we'll sing a song. "The Lord said Noah, build me an arky arky. Lord said Noah, build me an arky arky...build it out of hickory barky barky..." The room was quiet and 40 pairs of eyes watched this 4'11" nine-year-old who wanted to lead a class of cool high school seniors in singing. Kathryn stopped waving her pencil and tapped her foot.
"You're not singing," She looked mildly reproving. "You--sing!" She pointed at another boy. He looked nervously around the room and began to squeak with her singing. "The animals they came on they came on by twoseys twoseys..." The rest of the class joined in. "El-e-phants and Kan-ga-rooseys rooseys, children of the Lord."
Someone had copied a textbook description of Kathryn's problem on the blackboard: Mongolism (Down's Syndrome)--Educable or Trainable. IQ range 20-60. Low perceptive abilities, low motor control." Kathryn spelled out her name in chalk below her definition.
When it was time to go, she turned and beamed at the class. "Bonjour, ca va, au 'voir." She spoiled the dramatic exit, though, when she poked her head back in the door and grinned and waved. "So long, Crabby," she said.
When she got home, she took off her pink pants suit and unbuckled her patent leather shoes. She put on a pair of cutoff jeans and a green shirt with an alligator on one pocket. She hung up the pants suit, but left the shoes and socks in the middle of the floor.
She crashed down the stairs. "Hey mum, I was teacher. Can I have money? Can Kara and I go to the store? I want bubblegum." My mother gave each of them a dime and they walked down the street to the little store. Hand-in-hand with the girl next door, the vegetable went to market.