I wanted to share an e-mail I wrote to a friend. He was telling me how his mother almost aborted him (he's a convert to the Faith) when she was pregnant with him. I'm sharing my response to him, so that you can tell your family and friends about this ridiculous test. I can't imagine how many lives are taken due to what's called the "ATP test" (ATP stands for: adenosine triphosphate). The state of California makes it mandatory for healthcare providers to administer this, but the family must opt out if they don't want it. Any amount of research will show how many times this test can be faulty. When my wife was pregnant, we were away from the Church, but I thank God I'd been instilled with an understanding of the worth of human life. Here's my story: (excerpted from an e-mail response to my friend)

..Your story is actually strikingly similar to when our firstborn, Aurora, was concieved. We did this test that the state 'requires' (you can opt out if you like): adenosine triphosphate (ATP) test when Nikki was about 3 months pregnant.

This young nurse came back with our results and said, "your ATP count was 13; thats really high." An older nurse was walking by and and the young nurse asked her, in front of Nikki and I, "Whats the highest score you've seen on a ATP test?"

"Seven or eight."

My heart sunk. The doctor came in a few minutes later asking if we wanted to keep "it". We both (deo gratias my wife has some innate virtues) said "no", we were going to keep our baby. The doctor told us that she would almost surely have an open spine, or open abdomen, possibly a missing brain or organs, etc. We said we would still keep our baby. I prayed to St. Anne, the mother of our Blessed Mother, and told her I would offer her my child, and all my future children; I was recently devoted to St. Anne since I was working for the City of Santa Ana at their FD.

Month after month, each time we went for our ultrasound, our child was there, complete. Aurora was eventually born, and did have what's called hemangioma's (on her eye- I think you remember them) (temporary birth marks that have almost completely gone away) and her kidney's were 'fused'- both of her kidneys are on the same side; the only thing she is prone to is more frequent UTI's, according to the doctors, but she's yet to get one. She's a normal, happy, ultra-intelligent (and I'm not saying it since she's our daughter) girl. I'm teaching her to love Christ and our Blessed Mother. And of course St. Anne.

Interesting note on St. Anne- my twin girls were born on July 26th, almost 2 years after. July 26th- the Feast of St. Anne.

Richard

I was a lab technician for a few years.  What you are saying does not make any sense.  Why is a pregnant woman having a fetal ATP?  

If you are talking about an AFP test, that is something very different.  AFP is a protein manufactured by everyone's liver.  A pregnant woman with really high levels can indicate neural tube disorders.  Low levels can indicate Down's Syndrome.  But this test is not diagnostic and is notorious for producing false positive markers.  It means nothing really, unless the results are really high--300 or 400.  That would indicate liver cancer.

None of these tests mean anything.

Years ago, when I was working, most women didn't take this test and most Dr's didn't even suggest it.  Now they have something called a Triple Screen and a Quad Screen which tests for 3 or 4 different levels.  Again, these are not diagnostic.  They don't do anything except scare mothers and keep the abortion mills in business.

Dr's do these test in early pregnancy and pressure mothers into making quick decisions.  The test themselves mean nothing.

An ultrasound by today's standards are amazing and can alert a parent to any complications their little one might have.  Dr's can make ample preparations when a problem is detected on an ultrasound.  Kidney, heart, lung, and spinal problems can all be detected in this manner and no baby need ever die.  In fact, many are saved by just waiting.

Women serve themselves better by just refusing all testing until after the ultrasound.

This almost NEVER adequately explained to parents. They are told they have a positive result which sounds infinitely worse than what it is. A positive just means that the blood work show you are at a higher risk than your age relates risk alone.

Thanks momofmany- however, as I described above, this lack of explanation came along with a little, do you want 'it' or not talk.