{"id":303461,"date":"2023-12-13T16:14:32","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T22:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=303461"},"modified":"2023-12-18T12:31:59","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T18:31:59","slug":"trisomy-18-not-automatic-death-sentence-proof","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/trisomy-18-not-automatic-death-sentence-proof\/","title":{"rendered":"Trisomy 18 is not an automatic death sentence. These children are proof."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Media has been abuzz this week with the story of Kate Cox, the Texas woman who sued the state so she could abort her preborn child who was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. Cox sought to end her pregnancy simply because of her baby’s diagnosis, as doctors are saying the child has virtually “no chance of survival.” This claim has been parroted<\/a> by many who believe that Cox should be allowed to get an abortion on the basis that Trisomy 18 is “incompatible with life.”<\/p>\n

Many parents are told that Trisomy 18 is a “fatal” condition. Unfortunately, it’s the label itself that often leads to a short life span; once a child is given the diagnosis, doctors are generally unwilling to provide substantial medical care. However, if the child receives proper medical attention, there is a chance. A 2017 study<\/a> from researchers at Stanford and the University of Arkansas revealed that children with Trisomy 18 diagnosis are more likely to survive if they undergo pediatric heart surgery. In addition, this 2019 study<\/a> reveals a 90% discharge rate for children with trisomy 18 after having their hearts repaired.<\/p>\n

These medical studies call the bluff of naysayers. Even more compelling are the stories of the Trisomy 18 survivors themselves. They are living proof that Trisomy 18 is not<\/em> an automatic death sentence. Here are just a few children who have beaten the odds and have survived with this diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Bella Santorum<\/strong><\/p>\n

The daughter of former Senator Rick Santorum and his wife Karen, Bella turned 15 this year. The pro-life parents refused to abort their daughter even though she had been diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and was deemed “incompatible with life.”<\/p>\n

Rick Santorum tweeted about Bella in response to a claim from Ann Coulter, who said that Cox’s abortion should be allowed because “Trisomy 18 is not a condition that compatible with life.”<\/p>\n

“Meet my incompatible w life daughter Bella,” he wrote. “Her docs put her on hospice at 10 days old. Other countries have much higher survival rates than US because they treat the baby not the diagnosis. Every kid deserves a shot at life, not be brutally dismembered for not being perfect.”<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Meet my incompatible w life daughter Bella. Her docs put her on hospice at 10 days old. Other countries have much higher survival rates than US because they treat the baby not the diagnosis. Every kid deserves a shot at life, not be brutally dismembered for not being perfect. pic.twitter.com\/QKVAREEyVY<\/a><\/p>\n

— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) December 12, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n