A blood test for the early detection of Down syndrome to pregnant women for Risk for free. The Federal Joint Committee of Doctors, health insurance companies and hospitals, the highest decision-making body in the health sector, launched on Friday a formal procedure. Earlier, the SPIEGEL had reported about the plans.
Yet also risk having to pay pregnant women at least 130 Euro expensive blood test. About 40 percent of all expectant mothers in Germany are currently considered high-Risk pregnancies. Because you are older than 35 years or high blood pressure. In 2017, more than 200,000 women were present at the birth of her child older than 35 years. In the case of a pregnancy age more than 35 years, the probability of a Down syndrome infant increases.
Several organisations opposing the decision. They fear more abortions, and stigmatization of parents who choose, in spite of a positive test result for your child.
“No screening of Pregnant women“
For the Tests, the Pregnant women from the 11. Week blood drawn. On the basis of the contained chromosomes parts of the child or the placenta, among other things, the probability can be calculated, with the help of the child would be coming with Down syndrome to the world. The accuracy is according to the manufacturer, at 99 percent. The False-Alarm Rate was very low: About one out of 1000 women, the Information get incorrectly, your child has trisomy 21.
Unlike an amniocentesis or a biopsy of the placenta, the blood test carries little risk, said the Chairman of the Federal Committee Joseph hedges. The Test was attributed to the therefore medical. “It’s not about a number of investigation of all Pregnant women,” said hedges. In addition, the Test provides for more justice, because low-income parents could hear it now.
According to estimates, 90 percent of the mothers choose mothers for an abortion, if you learn that your child has a high probability of down syndrome. Several organizations warn that the free blood test could reinforce the fear of a possible disability of the Unborn.
People with down syndrome could be viewed in society as “avoidable”. Parents of children with disabilities were increasingly under pressure for justification, “according to the Motto: you can’t know,” said Elzbieta Szczebak from the German down syndrome InfoCenter.
We want to know if our child is down syndrome? This difficult ethical issue, should be allowed to decide all the parents for themselves, without societal pressure.