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Unspoken Fallout from Dobbs: Birth Defects [1]
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Date: 2022-07-21
Since the Supreme Court's egregious gutting of Roe v. Wade this June, there have been many news stories about the horrific scenarios we are facing as a result. Most of them focus on rape, child abuse, and the health/suffering/life-threatening and life-ending consequences women face as a result of not being able to make decisions about their own bodies. But there is a surprising lack of discussion about the problems posed by birth defects. Now, abortion is not necessarily a remedy for birth defects, but it is a near-certainty that more babies will be born with life-threatening conditions given that abortion is no longer an option in many states. And Republicans and religious organizations have neither admitted that this is a consequence of their medieval beliefs, nor have they offered any solutions for the families facing these threats.
The following is a partial list of some of the more common issues facing potential parents of babies born with birth defects. Keep in mind that the most common test for many birth defects is a n amniocentesis, which is not performed until the second or third trimester, between 15-20 weeks. Tay-Sachs disease: In the most common and severe form of Tay-Sachs disease, signs and symptoms start to show up at about 3 to 6 months of age. As the disease progresses, development slows and muscles begin to weaken. Over time, this leads to seizures, vision and hearing loss, paralysis, and other major issues. Children with this form of Tay-Sachs disease typically live only a few years. Spina bifida : occurs in mild to severe forms. In its severest form, . . . The spinal canal is open along several vertebrae in the lower or middle back. The membranes and spinal nerves push through this opening at birth, forming a sac on the baby's back, typically exposing tissues and nerves. This makes the baby prone to life-threatening infections and may also cause paralysis and bladder and bowel dysfunction. Anencephaly Anencephaly . . . occurs when the skull, scalp and brain do not develop properly in the womb. Portions of the baby’s brain and skull are missing. . . Neural tube problems develop very early in pregnancy. Babies born with anencephaly live only a few hours or days after birth.
Premature births put babies at risk for multiple conditions, and although we are getting better at saving the lives of babies born prematurely, it is one of the costliest of all medical treatments. The earlier the premature birth, the more dangerous and costly it is. Suppose a woman or family wishes to give up their premature baby for adoption. Who is going to assume the responsibility for the hospital costs, along with the possible lifelong medical costs? The happy couple waving above?
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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/7/21/2111623/-Unspoken-Fallout-from-Dobbs-Birth-Defects
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