Japan likely to have more hospitals offering prenatal test

Critics say the prenatal diagnosis, which became available as a clinical study in 2013, could lead to the termination of life with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, and call for greater debate on the matter....................Around 51,000 pregnant women had taken the prenatal diagnosis via blood test as of last September. Of 933 women who tested positive for possible abnormalities, 781 confirmed abnormalities of their fetuses by additional diagnosis through amnion fluid test, and 90 percent of them opted for abortion.

This is a totally private issue for the mother first, and father to make regarding whether or not to abort their unborn child if they are found to have a genetic abnormality.

There is little stigma associated with abortions here, there is no public debate because society leaves the choice in the woman's hands. Also seeing as how religion does not play a factor, it more than likely won't ever be any debate or discussions either, outside of the academic and medical professions.

Abortion is readily available as well and in a society that has a huge problem with accepting people with special needs, physical or otherwise, it is not all that difficult to understand the choice that these women made to have an abortion.

It was only a few months ago they condemned many general practices for doing these tests without proper authorisation. Now, it seems they are opening up the flood gates.

The ¥200,000 price tag is absurd! It should be free and available to all women.

"Critics say the prenatal diagnosis... could lead to the termination of life with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome"

Thanks, Sherlock...

That's the whole point.

Test is damned expensive !

No wonder why the fertility rate cannot improve if there are such obstacles to support women's choice about having a baby.

"The ¥200,000 price tag is absurd! It should be free and available to all women."

"Test is damned expensive !"

Nice idea. How should the Japanese government finance it?