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From: sdb@shark.UUCP (Steven Den Beste)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: "Those who understand invariably decline"
Message-ID: <1478@shark.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Sep-83 10:42:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: shark.1478
Posted: Thu Sep  1 10:42:45 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Sep-83 14:41:59 EDT
Lines: 34


Liz Allen posted an article from a "pro-life" group which condemned
amniocentesis. In there was a statement:

"Gordon finds that couples who who clearly understand the statistics
and the relative risks in amniocentesis invariably decline the procedure."

Now that is a pretty strong statement - "invariably"? Not one couple in the
Entire U.S. has Ever had amniocentesis when the risks were explaned?

I suspect that in the minds of those who published it, the statement
is really true; consider:

If anyone would use this devil-spawned technique, it must be because
they don't understand how evil it is.

If they use it, they don't understand it fully.
QED If they understand it fully, they don't use it.

With respect to the "danger", many of the dangers cited were dangers
that an otherwise-normal fetus mght be spontaneously aborted.
If one subtracts that (i.e. if one does not consider that a "danger"),
I bet that amniocentesis becomes safer than the chances of having
a deformed baby in the high-risk group!
(Also keep in mind that the procedure is being improved all the time.)

Just why is this group against amniocentesis? Obviously - because
amniocentesis is a useless technique unless one is willing to folow
through with an abortion based on the results, and of course abortions
are immoral.

   Steve Den Beste
   Tektronix
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