If there was a way to know that an unborn child will be born with a ‘substantial’ physical defect, shall we forego the child?

A case came up for hearing and the Bombay High Court has declared that the parents do not have the right to … under any circumstance … to circumvent the Abortion Control law.

This unborn baby’s parent wished that their twenty-five week old foetus be aborted based on the assumption that it has a ‘congenital heart disease’. Needless to say this is just a prediction, albeit a medical one, yet confusions remain.

To even think that a pregnant mother wants the baby to not see the light of the world is shocking to me. There were times when physically or mentally challenged babies were born, when medical science was primitive and there were lesser ‘predictions’ before birth.

Things have changed. And parents don’t wish to see a defective baby being born for fear that he (or she) may have to lead a difficult life.

Are we too concerned about the health of the baby? Or do we feel that we have a right to get a healthy baby?

The debate persists. I am afraid the High Court differs.

What if the baby is unable to cope up with the pressure of life? And more importantly, what even if a normal baby fails to live up to the expectations of the parent and succumbs to a genuine physical handicap?

Will it be unethical for the part of the parents to have brought the baby on earth? Or can they be less traumatized to even think that the baby is no more even when they knew about the disease?

I fail to reason out. This has been such a difficult predicament for the parent.

Still, I have always believed that medical termination of pregnancy may only be clinically suited. I can’t believe a life that is destined to come is not given half a chance to live.

This doesn’t suit me … it certainly doesn’t.

Last night, I kept thinking about the process of birth. A complex process where the mother goes through her excruciating ordeal and the father supports. Indeed it is such a special phase that we live only to celebrate. Yet, there are cases where a child finds it difficult … and there are cases where a congenital or transmitted disease or defect seeps in.

Do we dump the child? I guess we can’t. It could have happened with me too. But then, it can happen to anybody – even to a grown up kid.

We should not challenge the creation … neither do we crave to satisfy and have a favourable response to our desires always.

Somewhere, sometimes, we need to fight against odds … and believe in putting the best solution to protect and prevent. Life is like that, only to be away from it will be unethical indeed.