Author Katie Breckenridge profileThe social media world has been blowing up with discussions about YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley’s decision to terminate the life of their precious preborn baby, simply because he or she may have had Down Syndrome. While we still don’t know for sure if this story is legitimate or created for social media engagement, pro-lifers are rightly outraged at the idea, with many sharing their own stories about those with Down Syndrome in their lives.

Pro-lifers, including myself, are justifiably angry at the thought that any couple could so callously snuff out the life of their child based on a diagnosis that he or she would be “less than perfect.” Yet many pro-lifers still find excuses to justify in vitro fertilization (IVF), a procedure that sometimes discards embryos that look like they’re not developing properly, based solely on visual inspection. This procedure is often justified because, unlike abortion, it doesn’t take the lives of human beings in a direct, obvious manner. After all, it brings about life, and if every embryo created is transferred, or donated for another couple to transfer, then what’s the problem? …