Several hundred pregnant women in Norway take tests abroad for chromosomal defects
Every year hundreds of pregnant women travel abroad to take a blood test that can detect chromosomal defects on the foetus they carry.
Midwife Anneli Asker of Barnmorskehuset in Sweden said that around 800 Norwegian women come there every year to take the test, which costs 5,000 kroner in Sweden reported NRK news.
“About half of our customers come from Norway,” said Asker.
The test, which can detect three chromosomal defects (including Down’s syndrome) was made available in Norway this month, but only for women over 38 years of age.
“The reason for our limited use is that we believe it is important to have a society where there is room for everyone,” said Secretary of State, Maria Jahrmann Bjerke of Høyre (H) at the Ministry of Health. She is against using the test as a primary test because she believes it would mean that Down’s syndrome is seen as an undesirable condition.
Seher Aydar, who is a major proponent for Rødt, believes that the test should be available in Norway before the twelfth pregnancy week.
“When we talk about sorting communities, we should also look at rich people who have the opportunity to travel to another country, they can get information, while those who can not afford to stay here. That’s the sorting community,” she told NRK.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
