Schroeder

RobertSchroeder
English1020
TuesThurs12:20
April 30, y
Position/Proposal
Recentlymyfamilyhasgonethroughtwobabybirthsthefirstonewasabeautiful
healthylittlebabygirl.Thesecondbabywasabeautifulbutsicklylittleboy;betweenthe
twoIwaswonderingwhathappened?Whathappenstotwodifferentbabiesthathave
motherssimilarinage,bornaroundthesametime,andsocialstatus?Whiledoingmy
researchIveseenthingsthattellyouhowtoavoidbirthdefects,andotherthingson
wrongfulbirthsmeaningitsamalpracticesuit.
First off what is a Wrongful Birth? According to the merriamwebster online
dictionaryamalpracticeclaimbroughtbytheparentsofachildbornwithabirthdefect
againstaphysicianorhealthcareproviderwhoseallegednegligence(asindiagnosis)
effectivelydeprivedtheparentsoftheopportunitytomakeaninformeddecisionwhether
toavoidorterminatethepregnancy(page1paragraph1).Basicallyifyourdoctorforgets
totellyouabouteverypossibleriskandifyoufollowwhathedoestell,andyoustill
haveabirthdefectyoucansuethedoctors.
Onthe onehand things just happen its afact oflife doctors make mistakes
sometimes.Butontheotherhandwhennormalpeoplemakemistakesitsrarelylifeand
deathbutdoctorsmakingmistakesitcansometimesendupinsomeonedying.Thereisa
family,theFields;theirdaughterwasbornseverelyretarded.Jadecantwalk,andcan

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onlysayafewwords.Shesalsolegallyblind,fedthroughatubeisherstomachand
oftenhastobehospitalizedDuetothefactthatthedoctorreadatestwrongduringan
ultrasoundandiftheissuehadbeenaddressedalotoftheproblemscouldhavebeen
resolved.
Inanothercase,afamily,MarkandSarahHall,weregiventheresponsibilityof
lookingafterHallsYoungersister,Jennifer.Jenniferhasbeendiagnosedwithamental
syndromethateventhoughshes40shehasthementalcapacityofa14yearold.After
Halls motherdiedthey became legally,and financially responsibleforher. Soafter
awhiletheHallsdecidedtotryandhaveababy,buttheylearnedthatwhileHalldidnt
havethesyndromehewasacarrierforitThismeansthatanychildrenhehasmight
haveatypicalgenome,ortheymight,likehim,besymptomfreecarriers.(P1P3)Soany
kidshehasmighthavethediseaseormightbeacarrierforit.Theydecidedtocarryon
with getting pregnant and make

the decision that if the fetus is

diagnosed with any thing that

theywillabortthepregnancy.The

doctorsofficecalledtheHalls

and told them that the baby

wouldbejustlikehim.Their

daughterElliewasbornandfor

the first six months she

grewnormallyandafterthatthe

pediatrician

became

worried. They took Ellie from

specialisttospecialistand

foundoutthatthepersononthe

phonereadtheultrasoundincorrectly.Sotheydecidedtosuethedoctor.
Ontheotherhandtheproblemsisntalwaysthedoctorsfaultsometimesitsthe
waythattheparentstreatthepregnancy.Peoplethinkthatwhentheyarepregnantthey

Schroeder

cantreattheirbodiesthesameaswhentheywerentpregnant.Onethingthatisalltoo
commonisthatifthereisadefectwiththebabytheycanabortitbeforeitsbornsothey
canavoidhavingthedifficultiesofasickbabyinsteadofenjoyingthetimewithaspecial
child.
Accordingtothe InternationalJournalofMedicalSciences theauthorshavedivided
congenitalabnormalitiesintothreecategories.
1. Lethalifthedefects (suchas anencephalyorhypoplasticleftheartsyndrome)
causestillbirth(latefetaldeath)orinfantdeathorpregnanciesareterminatedafter
theprenataldiagnosisoffetaldefectsinmorethan50%ofcases.
2. Severeif the defects (such as cleft lip or congenital pyloric stenosis) without
medicalinterventioncausehandicapordeath.
3. Mildifdefects(suchascongenitaldislocationofthehiporundescendedtestis)
requiremedicalinterventionbutlifeexpectancyisgood.(P1p1)
Thebestwaywecanstopthesehorriblethingsistobecomeeducatedaboutthe
various ways we can avoid to overcome certain medical problems. There are
resourcesouttheretohelpus.Itsthedutyofthedoctorstotellthemothersandthe
fathersofclassesandmaterialthatcaninformthemofthewaysthosethingscan
happen.
There are
take for granted

things that everyone

whenwearehealthy.

New parents are

no acceptation, to that

rule. As I have

stated before, education

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isthebestwaytoovercomecertainWrongfulbirths.Americanpregnancy.orghave
apagefulloftips.Illjustgiveyouafewofthembecausethelistisratherlengthy.
Tip1Thefirstandforemosttipismaintainingpreconceptionhealth;eatingwell
balanced and nutritional meals,and taking a multivitamin daily that includes the
recommended 400 mcg offolic acid. (P2 p3) The prenatal vitamin helps keep the
womanandthebabyhealthy.Themothersmetabolismloosestheabilitytocreatefolic
acid.
Tip3Avoidallactivitiesthatcouldpotentiallyleadtobirthdefectsincluding
alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and caffeine. (P2 p5) Ive heard stories of mothers
indulgingineachoftheses.InfactIhaveafriendwithfetalalcoholsyndrome.Shesa
wonderfulgirl,butshegotissuesthatIthinkcouldhaveavoidedifhermotherwould
havejustbeeneducated,whichisweirdbecauseheraunthasthesameproblem.
The third and final tip that I will be addressing is Tip 5 Obtain genetic
counseling and birth defect screening, particularly if you have any family history of
birthdefectsorifyouare35yearsofageorolder.(P2p7)Thisisprobablyoneofthe
biggestwaytoavoidCongenitalAbnormalities,istohavethedoctorexaminetheparents
toknowifyoureacarrierorifyourchildrenwillbehealthy.
Ithinkanimportantthingtorememberissometimesthingsjusthappen.Wein
societytodaywanttoblametheworldordoctorsformedicalproblems. Whydowe
complainsomuchwhenwedontgeteverythingwewant?Mostpeoplenowdaysliketo
havethereowncookiecutterlife.Thosepeoplewhowouldratheraborttheirbabies
ratherthanhaveproblemsseemliketheytaketheeasywayout.Anunknownperson

Schroeder

makesafavoritequoteofmineThereisnogrowthinthecomfortzoneandnocomfort
in

(P1p1).

the

growth

zone