The World Health Organization recently posted that Down syndrome is a “severe birth defect”! My amazing daughter Chloe who has changed the world has a response! @RCamposDuffy @SBAList @FRCdc @AlvedaCKing @nrlc @LifeNewsHQ @Yizis @KaylaKessinger @WV4Life @PAProLifeFed @PAcatholic

World Health Organization social media post lists Down syndrome as a birth defect to be ‘prevented’
Human Interest·By Nancy Flanders
World Health Organization social media post lists Down syndrome as a birth defect to be ‘prevented’
Individuals with Down syndrome and their families were shocked and disheartened by a recent social media post from The World Health Organization (WHO) last week that listed Down syndrome as a birth defect that can be prevented. However, there is no way to prevent Down syndrome itself. “Eliminating” Down syndrome really means eliminating those who have the condition through abortion.
“Today is World Birth Defects Day,” WHO originally wrote on March 3, according to the screenshot below. “Most birth defects can be prevented and treated with access to quality maternal and newborn care. Yet, every year, they cause the deaths of close to 250,000 babies within just 1 month of birth.”
Down syndrome was then listed as one of the “most common severe birth defects.” After receiving backlash, the WHO edited the Facebook post to remove Down syndrome from the list, and deleted the paragraph of information. However, it appears a separate post on Twitter also included Down syndrome as a birth defect.

News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, a mother of nine children — including one with Down syndrome, replied to the WHO tweet with a tweet of her own saying, “[…]#WHO. Down syndrome is NOT a birth defect. It’s a chromosomal variation. My baby w/ Downs is as human & valuable as any of my other kids. These comments lead to discrimination & abortion. Celebrate, don’t eliminate differences.”
This tweet is no longer available. It may have been deleted or made private. Try on X.
Likewise, Kurt Kondrich, an author, advocate, and father of Chloe who has Down syndrome, tweeted, “The World Health Organization recently posted that Down syndrome is a ‘severe birth defect’! My amazing daughter Chloe who has changed the world has a response!” The tweet included a photo of Chloe, who is the inspiration behind Pennsylvania’s “Chloe’s Law” ensuring that parents who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome receive resources and support. The photo states, “I am Chloe Emmanuelle Kondrich and I am NOT a ‘severe birth defect.’”
The Facebook page, Raising Josee Hope, also commented on the WHO’s classification of Down syndrome, stating in part, “The only way Down syndrome is prevented is through abortion, is this what they’re advocating for?! An apology to the community rather than an edited post would be appreciated. And you wonder why we are left with NO CHOICE but to tirelessly advocate?!! Imagine if this was your child being spoken about. It wrecks our day. It takes time away from our kids. It breaks our heart to advocate. We don’t want to be ‘strong warrior mums’ we just want to enjoy life with our kids knowing they’re safe. When the global peak body for health refers to your child as a birth defect that can be prevented what Hope do we have?”
People who have Down syndrome are human beings with intrinsic value, yet they are consistently targeted for abortion. The abortion rate for children diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome in the United States is nearly 70%.
Parents are fighting back against pressure to abort their babies, but as was made evident by the WHO’s social media posts, there is much more work to be done.
“Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary!
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Read Next

A growing number of Americans call themselves ‘pro-choice’ – but what’s really behind it?
Nancy Flanders
·More In Human Interest

Fact Checks
A family's two tragic abortions expose the need for holistic, life-affirming support
Nancy Flanders
·
Human Interest
Volunteer 'baby cuddlers' support preemie twins born at 23 weeks
Melissa Manion
·
Human Interest
Garden of Remembrance: Honoring the preborn on sacred ground
Tori Shaw
·
Human Interest
Woman pregnant with twins jumps from second-story to escape fire
Bridget Sielicki
·
Human Interest
Caught on Camera: Baby girl born just outside doors of Dallas hospital
Isabella Childs
·More From Nancy Flanders

Fact Checks
Planned Parenthood fails at 'Baby Olivia' fact check, does its best to dehumanize
Nancy Flanders
·
Fact Checks
A family's two tragic abortions expose the need for holistic, life-affirming support
Nancy Flanders
·
Abortion Pill
20 state AGs claim abortion pill is safe as FDA prepares to conduct review
Nancy Flanders
·
Abortion Pill
Despite media claims, abortions likely haven't dropped in 2025. Here's why.
Nancy Flanders
·
Pop Culture
Vocalist Florence Welch on pregnancy loss and music industry's failure to support mothers
Nancy Flanders
·