[Pregnancy interruption from the pediatric viewpoint].

Therapeutic abortion is foremost a biological problem. The abrupt termination of the physiologic phenomenon of pregnancy is a sudden interference with the biology of the interaction between mother and fetus. Therapeutic abortion is also a psychological, a sociological and a political problem. Today therapeutic abortion is legal under certain condition and done by physicians. This review supports therapeutic abortion for prenatally determined abnormalities which have a scientifically high risk of defective offspring especially trisomy 21. Intensive genetic counselling prior to the therapeutic abortion is necessary. The last decision for the therapeutic abortion rests with the pregnant mother. The genetic medical problem is only part of the decision making since a number of familial, personal, religious and human factors are involved in the decision. The experience of the physician, his world view, his medical education, his knowledge of the psychological and physical and social anxieties of the pregnant patient also modify the decision making. The gynaecologist who carried out the therapeutic abortion needs to take these factors into account. Considering how difficult and depressing the development of severely mentally retarded persons is especially when they reach adulthood and how limited there life is by suffering, limitations and isolation therapeutic abortion is a valuable method to spare parents the stress of caring for severely mentally retarded offspring for years and decades.