My mother was told that my sister would have spina bifida, and ecouraged to abort her. She felt pressurised into making this decision, and was told by the doctors that she was "a foolish girl" for "burdening" herself with a disabled child. She went ahead with the pregnancy nonetheless, and gave birth to a perfectly healthy girl. This may have been an unusual case, but as aborted foetuses aren't generally tested for abnormalities it's impossible to say.

Paul Chegworth, Oxfordshire,

Let's not be afraid to call this what it is--- murder of a defenseless human being.

Connie , New Orleans,

The notion that the right to the title 'human' and therefore the right to life should be defined by a baby's ability to survive independently is utterly misguided. Such desperately selfish thinking is sadly not unique in the history of mankind. The Jewish people could be exterminated because they were classified as sub-human by their exterminators. The Slave Traders could sleep at night even within earshot of the screams of their captives because they were no more than 'animals'. To dispose of unborn babies as unwanted commodities is simply evil.

Peter Sherwood, Ripon, UK

My daughter's baby was diagnosed with a two vessel cord and polydactyly at the 20 week scan in Hong Kong. The word "termination" was mentioned at the time but, after recovering from the shock, she decided to seek a second opinion in the UK. One of the consultants she saw was Tim Overton and his staff at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol. He confirmed the findings in HK and carefully explained that indeed this could be indicative of other problems. After seeking further advice from two genetic specialists and another foetal consultant in London (and by this time having the results of the amnio test), she and her husband decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. Her son was born on the 17th October, perfectly healthy and, yes, with the additional toe on each foot which she is told can be safely and easily removed within his first year. The moral to the story is - seek all the advice you can from as many specialists as it takes before taking such a radical step.

New Granny, HK & Isle of Wight, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, United Kingdon

My son was born with a club foot . We didn't know he had this abnormality until he arrived, but it was picked up immediately by the doctor and first thing the next morning the consultant was in giving him a correcting programme of physio. This proved not to be successful and ended with an operation at 10 months which worked perfectly.Twenty years on , he is a university student with a bright future and a lovely human being, how would we ever have considered not having him?

Eva, Newbury, UK

If we maintain that it is logical to abort babies with minimal abnormalities like cleft lip and palate where does this leave us in the future. What will we define as 'inconvenient' in the future - some people dont like ginger hair, large noses, short legs.... the list is endless.

oliver, edinburgh, uk

My daughter was born with a club foot and she has undergone major surgery a number of times over the last 8 years, but I am so glad that she is here. I was offered an abortion when I found out about her condition, but decided as it was not life threatening it was a ridiculous idea. What makes a 'perfect human being' anyway? Who are we to decide?

Catherine, chippenham, wiltshire

This is the normal result of allowing abortion in general. So what if women are aborting babies with abnormalities. Is that really any worse than women who abort babies because they forgot to take the pill one night? How can we have compassion for one set of unborn without having compassion for the others? If we say women can abort simply because they don't want to have inconvenient children, then aborting children who are by nature inconvenient due to an abnormality is the only logical next step.

Kelly, Dallas, USA

So much for tolerance and embracing diversity. Three babies aborted for having external ear abnormalities. Six for being intersex. Twenty for Turner's syndrome and three for Klinefelter's syndrome. Five for dwarfism. (Evidently we like R2-D2 and the Ewoks, but not the people inside the costumes. Don't want no short people 'round here!)

Christin, Bucheon, South Korea

This is ridiculous! Both my dad and brother have deformities on their hands and feet, and they are wonderful, exceptional people, and they benefit society incredibly. My brother goes to Berkeley, and is one of the smartest, most ambitious people I know! The idea that someone would terminate a baby like him just because he's missing a finger or toe appalls me! I don't understand how anyone could do this in all good consciousness.

Tuppence, San Jose, Ca, US