Ohio Senate Says 'No' to Abortion Based on Down Syndrome Diagnosis

The Ohio Senate passed the Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act this week. It prohibits abortion based solely on a doctor's diagnosis of Down Syndrome.

The bill would make performing abortions based solely on the basis of a Down Syndrome diagnosis, a fourth-degree felony. It also gives the power to the state medical board to revoke a doctor's license if convicted.

The Ohio House passed a similar bill two weeks ago. 

Now either the House or the Senate must approve the other chamber's bill in order to advance it to Gov. John Kasich's desk.

Ohio Right to Life praised the move, saying abortion based on a Down syndrome diagnosis is eugenics.

"Ohio Right to Life thanks our pro-life senators for taking a stand against the modern-day eugenic practice of aborting babies with Down syndrome," Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life, said. "We are continuously encouraged by how Ohio is at the forefront of protecting the unborn. All Ohioans regardless of the gender, skin color or disability deserve the right to live out their God-given potential and purpose."

"There is a reason that 99% of people with Down syndrome are happy with their lives," Gonidakis added. "They live joyfully, in a way that is contagious to others. We are happy that the Ohio Senate recognizes their lives as worth living."

Unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted at high rates globally. According to CBS, the United States has an estimated abortion rate of 67 percent (1995-2011) for unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome. Iceland has a nearly 100 percent termination rate following diagnosis.

These numbers even caused one human rights group to appeal to the United Nations, calling the high abortion rates a "contemporary form of eugenics and racism."