If a good outcome with a given prenatal diagnosis is the least bit common, what is “awe inspiring” about it?

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Q:

I stumbled across your website while surfing the Internet.  Don’t you have a place for people who are living with their absolutely wonderful, awe-inspiring, children with various disabilities to add stories that might bring hope and challenge parents to make other decisions after receiving a prenatal diagnosis? Why aren’t you including stories about disabled kids who have miraculously defied all the odds?

A:

The sole mission of this web site is to provide comfort and support to parents who have already made their decision to end a wanted pregnancy following a poor prenatal diagnosis or for maternal health concerns. Most parents who arrive at this site have already undergone a pregnancy termination procedure or at the very least are seriously considering it. They need support and understanding, not another opportunity to second-guess their decisions.

The absolute last thing they need at this stage in the process are rosy, best-case scenarios and miracle stories involving their child’s diagnosis. We have absolute faith that any parent who can find this site using a search engine can do the same to find any of these “awe-inspiring” stories that you feel they should read. Many of them already have read stories like that, and still reached the conclusion to end the pregnancy. We respect their decisions.

Here is something to chew on: If a good outcome with a given prenatal diagnosis is the least bit common, what is “awe-inspiring” about it? Isn’t the very reason that these stories you mention “inspire awe” because things typically don’t turn out that well?

Terminating her wanted pregnancy is just about the last thing anyone really wants to do. That’s what makes this loss so hard. These decisions usually involve a lot of soul searching, as well as multiple consultations with medical and genetic specialists looking at the condition of the fetus in question. That’s going to provide a much more accurate prognosis than looking at “miracle” stories about somebody else’s child.

Expectant parents with a major medical concern who have not yet made a firm decision on how to proceed are directed towards our article, Undecided. This link is featured prominently on our front page.

We have always maintained this site as above all a safe place for parents who have terminated a pregnancy for medical reasons. The internet is rife with places geared to those traveling a different path than this one.