Defiant Birth Women Who Resist Medical Eugenics

by Reist, Melinda Tankard

• ISBN13: 9781876756598
• ISBN10: 1876756594
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-05-28
• Publisher: Spinifex Press

Summary

Daring womenthose who were told not to have their babies due to perceived disabilities in themselves or their unborn childrentell their stories in this controversial book that looks critically at medical eugenics as a contemporary form of social engineering. Believing that all life is valuable and that some are not more worthy of it than others, these women have given birth in the face of disapproval and hostility, defied both the creed of perfection and accepted medical wisdom, and given the issue of abortion a complexity beyond the simplistic pro-life/pro-choice dichotomy. As it questions the accuracy of screening procedures, the definition of a worthwhile life, and the responsiblity for determining the value of an imperfect life, this book trenchantly brings to light many issues that for years have been marginalized by the mainstream media and restricted to disability activism.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. viii
Introduction	p. 1
The story of Layiah: My wonder child	p. 73
All is right with my world	p. 84
It's about love	p. 89
Your baby will die: The story of Grace	p. 111
Giving life a chance	p. 120
Finding joy in the weak among us	p. 129
'The best experience of my life': HIV-positive women on pregnancy and birth in Australia	p. 144
My children have compensated me tenfold	p. 159
The 'standard of care' would be to abort my unborn child	p. 177
Living in the shadow of Monchberg	p. 182
So glad I listened to my heart	p. 196
Gabriel was going to die, but first he was going to live	p. 205
I wouldn't swap them for anything	p. 211
This baby would be loved	p. 224
The blessings far outweigh the sorrows	p. 230
Just crash through it	p. 239
Go with your instincts	p. 258
They told me my child would want a new mother	p. 266
The most beautiful face on earth	p. 278
Afterword	p. 286
Glossary	p. 300
Bibliography	p. 311
Index	p. 329
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.