Trig Palin’s threat to the abortion industry

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - A Canadian doctor expressed concern that Sarah Palin’s decision to give birth to Trig, who has Down’s Syndrome, may have negative consequences for women in his nation and elsewhere. How so? Instead of getting abortions 90% of the time, Dr. Andre Lalonde says, more women may discover that they can deal with the challenge of such a child, and refuse abortions. Quelle horreur!

Sarah and Todd Palin’s decision to complete her recent pregnancy, despite advance notice that their baby Trig had Down syndrome, is hailed by many in the pro-life movement as walking the walk as well as talking the talk.

But a senior Canadian doctor is now expressing concerns that such a prominent public role model as the governor of Alaska and potential vice president of the United States completing a Down syndrome pregnancy may prompt other women to make the same decision against abortion because of that genetic abnormality. And thereby reduce the number of abortions.

Published reports in Canada say about 9 out of 10 women given a diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy through abortion.

Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Ottawa, worries that Palin’s now renowned decision may cause abortions in Canada to decline as other women there and elsewhere opt to follow suit.