@angelobottone@qoto.org

The new assisted reproduction legislation will allow the use of sperm or eggs from a deceased person. Fatherless children will be created intentionally.

The Irish government has approved the publication of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2022 that will legislate for issues such as IVF, gametes donation, surrogacy.

The Bill is extremely problematic from an ethical point of view. For instance, it provides for posthumous assisted reproduction, which is the use of gametes (sperm or eggs) of a deceased person.

The final text of the Bill is not available yet but, based the previous draft, posthumous assisted reproduction will be permitted if a person has consented to use his sperm or her eggs when dead.

The law will also allow those gametes to be retrieved from the body of the dead person, if necessary, when the person has consented to it in advance.

Only the surviving partner of the deceased person can use the gamete, according to the Bill, and only after one year from the death.

This raises important ethical question. (It also complicates and delays the administration of estates on death https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/arid-20457958.html )

How is it in the interest of children to be deliberately conceived when their father or mother is already dead? The whole Bill favours and accommodates the desires of the adults over the child’s best interest.

What is even more shocking is that the law permits the use of the gametes of a dead person together with gametes coming from a sperm donor or an egg donor.

This means that not only one of the parents is already dead before the child is even conceived, but the child will be separated also by the other genetic parent. So, it will be legal for someone who is not even genetically related to the child to decide to create an orphan. How can this be in the best interest of the child?

No one should have a right to deliberately generate an orphan and this the reason why posthumous assisted reproduction is banned in many European countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Hungary.

But Ireland has taken the most liberal and adult-centred approach, avoiding any debate on the morality of such arrangements.

The same could be said about many other provisions of this new law, such as surrogacy for example.

According to the new law, the person who uses the gametes of her deceased partner must be a woman, as she has to carry the pregnancy.

This means that this provision will be used mainly by women using their dead partner’s sperm but nothing prevents a woman in a lesbian relationship from using the eggs of her deceased partner and carry the pregnancy herself. In this way, the resulting child will be denied both biological parents and will be intentionally created and brought up by someone with whom she, or he, has no genetic connection.

Again, how is this in the best interest of a child?

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Jan 01, 2023, 21:25

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Jan 01, 2023, 21:25

Jan 01, 2023, 21:25

@angelobottone@qoto.org

CW Long post. Original content

The deadly inaccuracy of many prenatal tests

Prenatal tests are a vital part of the thriving eugenics industry whereby unborn children with genetic defects are not considered fit for life and are aborted instead. But a report in The New York Times (not a pro-life paper) confirms that the tests for certain foetal abnormalities are often unreliable as they give too many false positive results.

Even if advertised as highly accurate, for some conditions positive test results were incorrect more than 90pc of the time.

We highlighted the problem of the inaccuracy of foetal tests in a previous blog three years ago.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is used to screen the probability that chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome, are present. These tests are now offered for more and more conditions. A positive screening test should be followed by a diagnostic test, to confirm the presence of the abnormal condition. Unfortunately, many do not wait for the follow-up test and abort their babies, not knowing that those screening tests are often wrong, as the New York Times article showed. With rare conditions, the probability of mistakes grows.

In Ireland we saw the tragic case of a baby who was aborted in Holles Street National Maternity Hospital at 19 weeks after his parents were incorrectly told that he suffered from Edwards Syndrome, a condition that is usually fatal.

But this is not a one-off case. It is likely that many healthy babies are aborted on the false presumption that they are disabled or will not live long after birth.

Ten of the 17 brochures given to parents by prenatal tests services and reviewed by the New York Times never mention that a false positive can occur and only one mentioned how often positive results are wrong.

The newspaper looked at five conditions, namely DiGeorge Syndrome, 1p36 Deletion, Cri-du-chat Syndrome, Wolf Hirschhorn Syndrome and Prader-Willie and Angelman Syndromes, and found the prenatal tests are wrong almost all the time (81pc, 89pc, 80pc, 86pc and 93pc respectively). This is appalling.

In 2019, the UK Advertising Standard Authority ruled that the ads promoting prenatal screening tests were misleading. For instance, out of 100 tests indicating the presence of Edwards Syndrome, only 37 were correct. Still, the tests were presented as 99pc accurate because if the condition is present, it is detected 99pc of the times. Accurate does not mean correct because often the test mistakenly says it is present. (For a more detailed account see here: https://ionainstitute.ie/the-inaccurate-accurate-tests-for-foetal-abnormalities/ )
In simple words, those tests are oversensitive as they tend to err on the side of false positives.

Oversensitive NIPT would not be a problem in a society that does not kill those suffering of abnormal conditions. The tests should be used to prepare families and doctors to welcome the newborns and care for them according to their special needs. Moreover, decisions should be made once the diagnosis confirms the screening results.

But oversensitive tests are morally problematic in our society, where abortion is the default outcome of positive testing results. Many do not even wait for the follow-up diagnostic test.

In Ireland, there is no gestational time limit for abortions when the baby is not expected to live longer than 28 days and now campaigners want to extend this possibility also to non-fatal abnormalities. This would only increase the probability that healthy babies are aborted.

Even the most ardent pro-choice campaigners should want everyone told about the literally deadly inaccuracy of many of these tests.

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 30, 2022, 00:38

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 30, 2022, 00:38

Dec 30, 2022, 00:38

@angelobottone@qoto.org

An Ireland without Down Syndrome https://familysolidarity.org/an-ireland-without-down-syndrome/

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@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 30, 2022, 00:10

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 30, 2022, 00:10

Dec 30, 2022, 00:10

@angelobottone@qoto.org

CW long post, original content

An Ireland without Down Syndrome

The Master of the Rotunda, Professor Fergal Malone, has revealed that up to 95pc of parents who are informed by the hospital that their unborn babies have Down Syndrome (DS) opt for abortion. This is a horrifying figure that appears to have soared since the abortion referendum even though the terminations in these instances are performed mostly in England.

What is happening is, of course, a modern-day version of eugenics. We are creating an Ireland without Down Syndrome and it is provoking almost no debate or reaction.

Professor Malone mentioned the figure of 95pc to the Irish Independent last week, but in the run-up to the 2018 referendum, he told RTE’s Liveline that the figure was 56pc. This is a massive increase in a short period.

Rather than being shocked at what is happening, pro-choice activists want the abortion law changed so that unborn babies with non-fatal abnormalities can be aborted for that reason specifically.

These figures refer to the Rotunda, one of the biggest maternity hospitals in the country, where Malone is the Master, but there are no reasons to suppose rates being substantially different in other hospitals. We don’t know for sure if a similar percentage of parents from other maternity hospitals abort these babies, but it would not be at all surprising if it was also very high. The latest figure for England is 88pc.

In 2018, Dr Rhona Mahony, who was then Master of the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street, was asked whether there would be an increase in abortions of babies with Down Syndrome if the 8th amendment was repealed. She didn’t give a clear answer, but she said that in her hospital at the time about half of the women told their unborn baby had DS opted to go to England for a termination.

When, during the campaign to save the 8th amendment, the pro-life side highlighted the fact that in countries with liberal abortion laws a very high percentage of babies with DS are aborted, we were accused of using these children for political purposes.

Prominent pro-repeal advocates were in denial.

Simon Harris, who was then the Minister for Health, said: “I do not believe women in this country adopt that approach when they have a diagnosis of a child with a disability. … I think it is somewhat offensive to suggest women in Ireland are seeking abortions for that reason.”

Irish Times columnist, Fintan O’Toole, wrote: “It is not true that the increase in screening has wiped out the births of DS children. … Admittedly access to screening in Ireland is problematic, but even so the numbers of Irish women taking this option is strikingly small.”

He was wrong then, as I explained in this blog, and even more nowadays, as the figures from prof. Malone prove.

What has increased since the referendum is not only the percentage of DS diagnoses ending in terminations but obviously their absolute number as well. This is driven in part by the fact that it has become easier to detect chromosomal or genetic anomalies through earlier prenatal testing.

In the UK, the number of babies born with Down Syndrome has fallen by 30pc in NHS hospitals that have introduced early screening.

Prenatal tests are becoming more common and affordable. Their number in Holles Street maternity hospital went from 1,005 in 2012 to 2,515 in 2021.

Irish women still go to England when they want to abort a baby with a non-fatal abnormality, unless it detected before 12 weeks, when abortions can take place for any reason.

We don’t have absolute figures of abortions for non-fatal disabilities in Ireland, but Irish women generally go abroad because this kind of termination is permitted here only before the 12-week limit and most of diagnoses of foetal abnormality happen afterwards.

In 2021, 59 Irish babies with Down Syndrome were aborted in England, 24 more than the year before (35). This number continues to grow, as predicted by the prolife activists who were accused of scaremongering. The figures were 27 in 2019 and 17 in 2018.

Would Down Syndrome Ireland and other similar organisations have anything to say?

The current law in Ireland allows abortions at any gestational age when the baby has a condition that could cause its death within 28 days from birth, or earlier. Before 12 weeks, abortion is allowed for any reason.

Dr Aoife Mullally, who leads the HSE’s abortion services, wants a relaxation of the law and allow abortion for not life-threatening disabilities after 12 weeks. This is eugenics for disabled babies. It is not clear if she would accept any time limits.

Prof. Malone supports such relaxation but acknowledges that this can only happen by legislating for abortion on grounds of disability. He believes that if this was proposed before the 2018 referendum, as per the recommendation of the Citizens’ Assembly, the vote in favour of repeal would not have been so high.

Liberals will always ask for more relaxations. For them, abortion for disabilities is not a taboo anymore. They might not like the word, but this is pure eugenics, the selection of the fittest.

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Dec 25, 2022, 12:46

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**George M. Sipe** @George@rcsocial.net · Dec 25, 2022, 12:46

Dec 25, 2022, 12:46

George M. Sipe @George@rcsocial.net

#GospelToday (Jn 1:1-5, 9-14)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God.

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 26, 2022, 08:54

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 26, 2022, 08:54

Dec 26, 2022, 08:54

@angelobottone@qoto.org

Rotunda master says 95% of parents in Down syndrome cases choose abortion https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2022/12/26/rotunda-master-says-95-of-parents-of-babies-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome-choose-abortion/

Dec 23, 2022, 17:11

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**Vegetable Gremlin ⍼👻** @vegetablegremlin@jorts.horse · Dec 23, 2022, 17:11

Dec 23, 2022, 17:11

Vegetable Gremlin ⍼👻 @vegetablegremlin@jorts.horse

Actually cannot believe this. After 13 years, Sony/BMG have decided to take down Rick Astley's "Never gunna give you up" due to a dispute with Youtube over ad royalties.

It's completely blocked globally. Actual end of an era.

https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ

Dec 21, 2022, 16:20

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**JKneeC** @JKneeC@mastodon.social · Dec 21, 2022, 16:20

Dec 21, 2022, 16:20

JKneeC @JKneeC@mastodon.social

Reflection.
.
.
#photography #reflection #blackandwhite #bwphotography #macro

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@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 16, 2022, 22:26

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 16, 2022, 22:26

Dec 16, 2022, 22:26

@angelobottone@qoto.org

Government recognising commercial surrogacy in all but name https://ionainstitute.ie/government-recognising-commercial-surrogacy-in-all-but-name/

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 13, 2022, 10:01

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 13, 2022, 10:01

Dec 13, 2022, 10:01

@angelobottone@qoto.org

“The Synod in Ireland” https://familysolidarity.org/the-synod-in-ireland/

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@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 07, 2022, 21:38

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Dec 07, 2022, 21:38

Dec 07, 2022, 21:38

@angelobottone@qoto.org

Canada slides right down the assisted suicide slippery slope https://ionainstitute.ie/canada-slides-right-down-the-assisted-suicide-slippery-slope/

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Nov 29, 2022, 10:02

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Nov 29, 2022, 10:02

Nov 29, 2022, 10:02

@angelobottone@qoto.org

Talk on the Synod in Ireland https://familysolidarity.org/talk-on-the-synod-in-ireland/

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Nov 16, 2022, 19:09

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**Dave Troy** @davetroy@toad.social · Nov 16, 2022, 19:09

Nov 16, 2022, 19:09

Dave Troy @davetroy@toad.social

A few recommendations for life on Mastodon:

1) Follow anyone you think looks potentially interesting; you can always unfollow later, and they may lead you to new people via boosted posts.

2) Boost posts you think are worthy, so others can discover new content.

3) Don't obsess on replicating your Twitter follows on Mastodon; let it be its own experience, and grow it organically. Obvs follow anyone you miss from Twitter, but this isn't a 1:1 replacement; have fun, follow your instincts.

Nov 24, 2022, 16:39

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**hachre** @hachre@mastodon.hach.re · Nov 24, 2022, 16:39

Nov 24, 2022, 16:39

hachre @hachre@mastodon.hach.re

Don't know the source but holy shit is this real? lmao

1c0479589e95a8cf.mp4

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Nov 21, 2022, 08:39

@angelobottone@qoto.org · Nov 21, 2022, 08:39

Nov 21, 2022, 08:39

@angelobottone@qoto.org

Organ donation and consent

The Government plans to introduce an opt-out system for organ donation. (https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/11/21/plans-for-soft-opt-out-organ-donation-system-to-go-to-cabinet-by-end-of-the-month/)

This is a system whereby organs will be removed from patients’ bodies upon death, for transplant, if they have not expressly forbidden it. Otherwise, consent will be presumed.

The opt-out regime is based on the assumption that when inevitable death is approaching, the State or the hospitals own our bodies and can dispose of their parts, unless we or our family explicitly object.

This principle is not acceptable, even if it is motivated by the noble intent of addressing the problem of shortage of organs for transplant in Ireland.

Donation should arise from an informed and deliberate decision.

An opt-out system does not properly respect the principle of informed consent.

If the current opt-in regime is not adequate to satisfy the need for donors, it could be improved so that every patient, when visiting their GP or a hospital, should be explicitly asked to express their option on the matter.

An opt-out system is detrimental not only for those who are not aware of the details of the legislation, probably the majority of people, but particularly for vulnerable groups in society such as those who do not have adequate language skills, or cannot fully consent.

Donation must remain a choice freely made and taking without asking is not giving. Our organs are not at the State’s disposal.

Nov 19, 2022, 16:58

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**🎓 Dr. Freemo 🇳🇱** @freemo@qoto.org · Nov 19, 2022, 16:58

Nov 19, 2022, 16:58

🎓 Dr. Freemo 🇳🇱 @freemo@qoto.org

So it seems joinmastodon removed QOTO from their directory without cause, without contacting us, and without any discussion or due diligence.

Since this is the only way to actually find QOTO for new users if it isnt reversed soon it could mean the end for our wonderful community.

If you care about this place remaining fair, respectful, and inclusive environment I highly suggest everyone reach out to them annd voice your objecttion and your disapointment and having no procedure to keep this fair and inclusive.

If you want to see QOTO stick around you can email your objecttion here:

hello@joinmastodon.org

Feel free to CC me here: jeffrey.freeman@qoto.org

Please be respectful, we want to show them we are the good guys and not give them any reason to object.

@Gargron @trinsec @khird