Abstract
Jane and Luke were excited after hearing that Jane was pregnant. They had been married for 10 years and had a healthy 6-year-old daughter. Because Jane was age 36 years old, she and Luke chose to have a genetic amniocentesis at 16 weeks of gestation. The fetus was discovered through standard karyotyping to have trisomy 21. The couple described their marriage as strong. Luke managed a small shoe store, and Jane was an elementary school teacher. The growth and development of their daughter had been uncomplicated; she adapted to kindergarten very well. Social support, both family and friends, was an important part of family life. Jane had a younger sister with a significant learning disability who was always in special education. When told the genetic diagnosis of trisomy 21 and presented with the options of either continuing the pregnancy or elective termination, the parents asked, What is it like to raise a child who is not normal, especially a child with Down syndrome? How will the child do in school? How will our 6-year-old daughter respond to her? Can we still keep our jobs and raise such a child?
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