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Comment by rindalir | Hacker News Reader

Well I think it's a matter of "is it ethical to bring into the world a being who is more likely to have a bad life or lots of suffering?" Once the person is here we are of course obligated to treat them with compassion. BTW, I'm not saying this is my view on DS -- I have met many people with DS who seem to have rich or rewarding lives. But I think clearly some people think that way. Plus, I think parents who have a child with DS are headed down a road of having someone that needs a lot of care for the rest of their lives. I can't blame someone for not wanting to take that on.

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> "is it ethical to bring into the world ... "

That's the complicated part - when does "bring into the world" begin? For the parents (at least that is how we felt), this moment is often much, much closer to conception than to birth.

at least that is how we felt Key Words. You plainly understand other people feel differently.

Indeed. I have read somewhere that until the 19th century, that moment was often months after birth. It was common to give the newborn away to a nurse if you could afford it until it had survived the first year, and only then accept it as part of the family. This way, the parents could safe themselves a bit from the excruciating pain of child loss.

Edit: This is e.g. mentioned in the German Wikipedia on Pox (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocken#16._bis_19._Jahrhundert), there is also a citation for it. I have read it several times during the last years, but don't have a better source, sorry.

Could you please provide a citation for this claim? It's fascinating if true, but I wonder which societies did this and what documentation there is for this practice. My understanding was that prior to the 20th century child mortality -- and mothers dying in childbirth -- were both common enough as to be practically mundane, or at least, as mundane as any death ever is.

Prior to 20th century? For my grandparents' generation it was common that about a third of their siblings died during their chilhood, mostly before one year old.

And I'm not so old ;)

People with Down Syndrome consistently report higher levels of satisfaction with life than the average person. It's just that we look down upon them and it makes us sad. We only care of things from our own point of view. Try to consider their perspective.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/0...

As I've said, the people I've met with Down Syndrome seemed to be genuinely happy (and just all-around delightful) people, to the best that I could determine. I've also read that parents and other family members of people with Down Syndrome also report high levels of satisfaction with life. I know what side of the line DS would fall on for me, but I can't make that decision for other people.

That’s interesting- but do think of the challenge it places on parents. Bringing up a child with Down’s syndrome is extremely tough, and they never really become independent adults.

That's my main concern about a child with a disability.

I don't mind taking care of them for the rest of my life, but who takes care of them after I'm gone?

People with down syndrome end up homeless all the time.

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