The discussion on abortion that we did in class.

1. Discussion1
Discuss this question in small groups:
1. Under what circumstances would you consider having an abortion? (If you are a man,
what would you do if you were a woman?)
a. If you were a high school student
b. If you were a university student.
c. If you did not know who is the baby’s biological father.
d. If you were not married.
e. If you did not have enough money to raise a child.
f. If you had a disease that makes you difficult to give birth.
g. Never
Reading
Read the article and decide if these sentences are true (T) or false (F):
1. NIPT can find out four types of chromosomal abnormalities.
2. The average age of women who were tested was around 50s.
Most expectant mothers who underwent noninvasive prenatal testing for chromosomal
abnormalities opted for abortions after getting a positive diagnosis, according to a group
of medical practitioners citing a recent six-month study.
The NIPT Consortium, which organizes experts from about 30 medical institutions, on
Nov. 22 released a summary of the results of tests carried out between April and
September, in which more than 90 percent of women whose fetuses were found to have
genetic abnormalities chose to have abortions.
NIPT can diagnose three types of chromosomal abnormalities, including Down
syndrome, by testing the mother's blood. The technique, which is very precise, costs
around 200,000 yen ($2,000) each time.
The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology has drawn up guidelines that limit the
use of NIPT to a number of cases, including pregnancy at an advanced age and cases
where fetal chromosomal abnormalities have been suspected in an independent test.
According to the consortium, 67, or 1.9 percent of the 3,514 pregnant women who
received NIPT, were diagnosed "positive" for at least one type of chromosomal
abnormality. Ninety-four percent of those pregnant women, whose average age was 38.3,
cited their age as the reason for being tested.
Those who get a negative NIPT diagnosis are nearly 100 percent free of abnormalities.
But those who receive a positive NIPT diagnosis have to take an additional test, such as

2. screening of the amniotic fluid, which involves a risk of miscarriage, to confirm the
diagnosis.
Of the 62 pregnant women who received the secondary test, 56 were diagnosed as being
definitively positive, and more than 90 percent of them had their fetuses aborted.
Just under 10 percent of those who initially wished to take NIPT changed their mind
after pre-test counseling and did not take the examination, the consortium said.
Okazaki, Akiko. "Down syndrome births over past 15 years up twofold - AJW by The
Asahi Shimbun." AJW by The Asahi Shimbun RSS. AJW by The Asahi Shimbun, 19 Apr.
2014. Web. 3 July 2014.
<http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201404190037>
Read the article again and answer these questions:
1. In this article, what was the main reason abortion was held?
2. What is one of the three chromosomal abnormalities that can be found by NIPT?
3. What do women do if they received a negative NIPT diagnosis?
Discussion2
1. Do you think it is right to find out whether you have an abnormal baby?
2. How do you think this new system will affect us in the future?
Language
Match the words on the left with the words on the right:
1. Prenatal practitioners
2. Medical syndrome
3. NIPT testing
4. Chromosomal diagnosis
5. Down abnormabilities

3. Match the words on the left (1-5) with the definitions on the right (a-e):
1. Prenatal a. Relating to or connected with a part of a cell in an
animal or plant that contains genes which determine
what characteristics the animal or plant will have.
2. Chromosomal b. Relating to the medical care of women during pregnancy
3. Fetus (Foetus) c. A group of people or firms who have agreed to cooperate
with each other
4. Consortium d. The serous fluid in which the embryo or fetus is
suspended within the amnion
5. Amniotic fluid e. An animal or human being in its later stages of
development before it is born (3 months after pregnancy)
Discussion3
Answer these questions in pairs or small groups:
1. What would you tell a person who is thinking of getting an abortion?
2. How do you feel about the new system? Do you think it is good or bad?
3. What do you think about many women having abortion in the world?
4. What do you think about many Japanese women getting abortion?
5. If you could not raise a baby, would you think of putting the baby up for abortion?
6. If you were found that you had an abnormal baby, would you get an abortion? Why?