Reactions of mothers and medical professionals to a film about Down syndrome
W. C. Cooley, E. S. Graham, J. B. Moeschler and J. M. Graham Jr
Department of Maternal and Child Health, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03756.
Parents, genetic counselors, and nurses were shown an 18-minute video-taped
discussion involving parents of persons with Down syndrome and were asked
to complete an evaluation. Some of the statistically significant
differences were as follows: 89% of mothers believed that the film was an
accurate portrayal of parental attitudes compared with 14% of the genetic
counselors and 40% of the nurses; 48% of genetic counselors believed that
problems outweigh the benefits in parenting a child with Down syndrome, but
94% of mothers and 83% of nurses thought that the benefits predominated;
and 56% of genetic counselors believed that parents of a child with Down
syndrome would choose to abort a subsequent affected fetus while only 8% of
parents and 10% of nurses agreed. It is important that medical
professionals have a balanced and accurate view of the impact of Down
syndrome on families.
