Dr. Manny: A baby is always a miracle, no matter what the challenges

As a high-risk obstetrician my colleagues and I are frequently challenged by a multitude of complicated pregnancies.

But sometimes nature takes a different course and we, as doctors, must continue to deliver care with compassion and the desire to do the best one can do.

This is why I am very sad reading the story of the couple from Australia who abandoned their newborn child with Down syndrome in Thailand.

This couple used a surrogate mother 21 years old to carry their set of twins. However, after the delivery one of the children, named Gammy by his surrogate family, was noted to be affected with down syndrome (trisomy 21).

Shortly after delivery the couple decided to abandon that child and only take the healthy twin, leaving the surrogate to care for Gammy. How can a mother do that? How can you not feel love and compassion for your child irrespective of what his or her physical problems are? Why would you separate twins which one knows always have a unique connection? 

Children with Down syndrome deserve the love and respect of all of us. They might be a challenge but they are no different than you or I. They feel love and love back which is one of the most beautiful characteristics of being human. The infant that was left behind also has some cardiovascular problems, something that is seen in over 30% of children affected with trisomy 21. The most common cardiovascular problems are atrioventricular septal defect. 

However almost all of these cardiac conditions are treatable and most of these children continued to thrive after surgery. So what is the bottom line? For me it is shock, sadness and disappointment. 

Having a baby is always a miracle and we should all appreciate the blessing of any child no matter how many challenges that they may face in the future.

Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as Fox News Channel's Senior Managing Editor for Health News. Prior to this position, Alvarez was a FNC medical contributor.