# Has fetal testing reduced the incidence dwarf births in modern times?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-fetal-testing-reduced-the-incidence-dwarf-births-in-modern-times/214614
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 22, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-fetal-testing-reduced-the-incidence-dwarf-births-in-modern-times/214614 "2003-11-22T02:47:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-fetal-testing-reduced-the-incidence-dwarf-births-in-modern-times/214614/1 "2003-11-22T02:47:50Z")
Just wondered if there were any stats on this re selective abortions being used to terminate dwarf babies in the last 20 year so vs 30-40 years ago?
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-fetal-testing-reduced-the-incidence-dwarf-births-in-modern-times/214614/2 "2003-11-22T04:33:19Z")
Hmm… I don’t have stats… but…
First of all, I don’t think there’s a standard test for dwarfism administered on a regular basis. So it wouldn’t be tested for unless there’s a reason to suspect the problem might occur. Not all forms of dwarfism are genetic dominants, but several are, so the only way a normal size parents who generate one is if the mutation occured spontaneously - at which point they might test in subsequent pregnancies.
Now, if one of the two parents was a dwarf there is then a 50% chance of passing it on in some of these disorders – but with one parent a dwarf, would such a couple be quick to abort? And if BOTH parents are dwarves, the same would apply (and dwarf couples can and do have offspring of normal height).
So I doubt there’s much fetal testing for dwarfism going on. It’s a fairly rare thing outside of families where it’s a known risk. And, frankly, quite a few people don’t feel that dwarfism is a valid reason to abort - either because they opposed all abortion, or because they don’t think it’s a serious enough defect by itself alone to warrant abortion.
So… probably there have been a few proto-dwarves aborted, but for the most part, no, I don’t think “fetal testing” has made much difference.
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### Author:  [@furlibusea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furlibusea)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-fetal-testing-reduced-the-incidence-dwarf-births-in-modern-times/214614/3 "2003-11-22T06:01:58Z")
there is one type of dwarfism that is a dominant gene but if both parents provide the gene it produces a child who isnt able to live more than a few days. With two parents who have this type of dwarfism there would be a one in four chance of producing an unviable child. I do not know if they can test for that type of genetic codeing.