THIS WEEK'S SCENARIO:

Kathleen's expecting a baby, and her dilemma is in relation to her pregnancy. 

Being over 35 years old, she's been given the option of the test for Down Syndrome. And she's facing a dilemma over whether to take the test or not.

Statistics show that a lot of women who do find their baby has Down Syndrome, then choose to terminate the pregnancy.  Kathleen's a Christian, and she is opposed to abortion. But she's wondering what her reaction would be if the test came back positive. She's worried she might feel a pressure to make a decision she wouldn't normally, just because of the knowledge - or the fear of the unknown.

There's other things to consider too - the risks of the test itself, the risk of a stressful pregnancy depending which way the results go... Let's help Kathleen with some second opinions on this one.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• There's big ethical questions here. Many women do undergo the test with a view to terminate the pregnancy if the child has Down Syndrome. Given that fact, and given Kathleen's convictions on that, do you think it's even ok to undergo the test?

• If she found out her child had Down Syndrome would that make the rest of the pregnancy a more stressful time?

• Or is it better to know now, given that she has the option? Would knowing, help her to prepare ahead of time?

• If you're a parent of a Down Syndrome child, I'd love to hear from you. If you had known ahead of time, would this have helped you to prepare?

• And is it necessarily bad news - there can be an assumption in this kind of discussion that the syndrome is universally a negative... tell us your experiences as a parent.

• Another thing to consider is the risk of incorrect test results and false alarm.

• And, if a woman goes beyond the initial blood test to an amniocentesis - (test of their amniotic fluid), there's a risk of miscarriage induced by the testing itself...

• There's a lot to consider here...  give us a hand...

EXPERT OPINION... Dr Mel Cusi

OUT

Got a problem to solve, a dilemma to fix or a question to find an answer to? That's what Second Opinion is for. Give Clare a call now on 1-300 40 20 20, tell her the problem off-air and we'll get you some lay and professional second opinions this time next week. If it's a sensitive matter you can change your name and identifying details, but it must be a real problem.

EXPERT OPINION:

Our expert this week is medical ethicist, Dr Mel Cusi. He's been a member of the Ethics Committee for the Australian Medical Association (NSW), has lectured at Sydney University on medical ethics, and has been running seminars on the topic for some 20 years.

Dr Cusi made the following points:

• Children are always a blessing from God whether they have a defect or not - Life is more important than anything else.
• In my experience, Down Syndrome is a positive and a rallying point for the whole family, drawing them closer together.
• Be aware that prenatal diagnosis is usually combined with abortion - a "search and destroy" philosophy.
• Prenatal diagnosis has a risk of miscarriage and there are many cases where the diagnosis is incorrect. So if you are opposed to abortion there is little point seeking the result.