Unexpected

Parenting, Prenatal Testing, and Down Syndrome

Rachel Adams author George Estreich author Alison Piepmeier author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:New York University Press

Published:23rd Feb '21

Should be back in stock very soon

Unexpected cover

This book explores the complexities of reproductive choices regarding Down syndrome, drawing from personal narratives and research to challenge societal perceptions.

In Unexpected, Alison Piepmeier's unfinished manuscript serves as a poignant exploration of motherhood, prenatal testing, and disability. After her passing in August 2016, colleagues George Estreich and Rachel Adams honor her legacy by delving into the complex themes she began to address. They weave in their own insights while highlighting Piepmeier's vital research, creating a rich tapestry of perspectives on reproductive choices.

Through interviews with parents of children with Down syndrome and women who chose to terminate pregnancies due to prenatal diagnoses, Unexpected offers a nuanced look at the realities of these decisions. The narratives reveal the emotional weight of such choices, emphasizing the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding Down syndrome. Piepmeier's personal reflections on her daughter, Maybelle, illuminate the joys and challenges of parenting a child with a disability, challenging societal perceptions and encouraging empathy.

As medical technology continues to evolve, Unexpected prompts critical discussions about the implications of prenatal testing and the societal pressures surrounding reproductive decisions. It calls for a deeper understanding of Down syndrome and advocates for a more compassionate view of those who navigate these complex choices. This book serves as both a tribute to Piepmeier's work and a necessary conversation starter about disability, motherhood, and the ethics of reproductive health.

Asks questions such as, what is the line between illness and disability, and how can a parent deal with uncertainties? … Shares rarely heard stories from parents and prospective parents who have confronted challenging decisions about a fetus with Down syndrome … provides insight into a segment of the population rarely explored. * Library Journal *
A thought-provoking book at the value of all human life … This book should reassure parents who choose to skip genetic testing or decide not to terminate pregnancies after learning their fetus may not be 'normal.' Like Piepmeier and her coauthors, they may well find unexpected joys in happy, loving kids. * Booklist *
Unexpected is a beautiful, thoughtful, and challenging co-authored and deeply reflexive book. It engages the porous lessons of disability, debility, death and an enduring love that is at once familial and friendship-centered. Collectively, Alison Piepmeier recruits George Estreich and Rachel Adams into a profound conversation that narrates their experiences of raising children with Down Syndrome as an optic on injustice, advocacy, and social transformation through this most intimate of parent-child relations. -- Rayna Rapp, author of Testing Women, Testing the Fetus: The Social Impact of Amniocentesis in America

ISBN: 9781479879953

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 345g

200 pages