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Comment by nivenkos | Hacker News Reader

> will result in mankind accumulating more and more genetic defects

Why?

Unless the Down Syndrome patients themselves have children, then there wouldn't be an evolutionary impact.

I don't they are referring to DS patients. Just that Darwinian evolutionary processes only selects for traits that make an impact prior to reproductive age. If a trait isn't expressed until after you have kids (MS, Huntington's etc.) it becomes easier to pass it on. Also as more diseases become survivable due to treatments / science then it would be easier to pass those traits on as well.

Why wouldn’t the Down Syndrome patients themselves have children?

Because most people with Down Syndrome are sterile

They generally do not, either due to defects of germ cell formation or just little sexual activity. "As of 2006, three instances of males with Down syndrome fathering children and 26 cases of females having children have been reported." https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(06)03067-6/full...

It's much, much, less likely. Half of women with down syndrome are infertile. If they do get pregnant they usually end with a miscarriage and there is a 50% chance the syndrome won't be passed down.

Homosapiens are a result of chromosomal fusion, so I would approach the claim of "accruing defects" with great skepticism. Nature is still selecting as evidence by inflicting a high miscarriage & infertility rate.

https://www.ndss.org/resources/sexuality/

https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/children-s-health-issues/c...

I believe most would choose not to take that step because they are well and truly cognisant of the level of responsibility and care required to raise a child with the same, or more extensive, needs as they themselves had. No one would know better than they would, and I have yet to meet a person with Downs that was stupid despite any manifest intellectual deficit.

That said, it is definitely immoral to forcibly prevent another human from having a child. Any debate on morality must focus on the decision the individual themselves must make.

Genetic disorders don't always express themselves, but can run in the family

Sure but there is a difference between a single gene disorder with a given inheritence pattern, and a trisomy which is a numerical chromosomal aberration.

Are you planning to make laws that will make it illegal for people with genetic defects to procreate? Seriously?

That seems like a big jump from what they actually said.

You are probably not aware of the fact that majority of Down sufferers cannot procreate. There is only a few recorded instances of Down sufferers having children.

That said, you can have mosaic aneuploidy (just some cells are affected), in that case, your life is likely to be more typical.

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