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Alaska official returns quickly after giving birth to child with Down syndrome
By Steve Quinn
Associated Press
Published on Sunday, May 04, 2008
JUNEAU, ALASKA: The results of Gov. Sarah Palin's prenatal testing were in, and the doctor's tone was ominous: ''You need to come to the office so we can talk about it.''
Palin, known for a resolve that quickly launched her from suburban hockey mom to a player on the national political stage, said, ''No, go ahead and tell me over the phone.''
The physician replied, ''Down syndrome,'' stunning the Republican governor, who had just completed what many political analysts called a startling first year in office.
She had arrived at the Capitol on an ethics reform platform after defeating the Republican incumbent in the primary and a former two-term Democratic governor in the general election. Her growing reputation as a maverick for bucking her party's establishment and Alaska's powerful oil industry quickly gained her a national reputation.
Now she is trying to balance caring for her child's special needs and running a state.
The doctor's announcement in December, when Palin was four months' pregnant, presented her with a possible life- and career-changing development.
''I've never had problems with my other pregnancies, so I was shocked,'' said Palin, a mother of four other children.
''It took a while to open up the book that the doctor gave me about children with Down syndrome, and a while to log onto the Web site and start reading facts about the situation.''
Palin, 44, waited a few days before telling her husband, Todd, who was out of town, so she could understand what was ahead for them.
Once her husband got the news, he told her: ''We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?' ''
There was never any doubt the Palins would have the child, and on April 18 she gave birth to Trig Paxson Van Palin.
''We've both been very vocal about being pro-life,'' Palin said. ''We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential.''
Down syndrome is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome in the fetus' cells. It's a genetic abnormality that impedes physical, intellectual and language development.
The mother's age is a large factor in the chances of having a child with Down syndrome. Once a woman turns 40, the chances are 1 in 100, according to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
During her first year in office, Palin distanced herself from the old guard, powerful Republicans in the state GOP, even calling on tight-lipped veteran U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens to explain to Alaskans why federal authorities were investigating him.
Three days after giving birth, Palin returned to work in her Anchorage office, accompanied by Trig and her husband.
This was not a mother's typical visit to the office to show off the new baby; instead, she was serving notice that a child with special needs would not hinder her professional commitments.
''It's a sign of the times to be able to do this,'' she said. ''I can think of so many male candidates who watched families grow while they were in office.
''There is no reason to believe a woman can't do it with a growing family. My baby will not be at all or in any sense neglected.''
JUNEAU, ALASKA: The results of Gov. Sarah Palin's prenatal testing were in, and the doctor's tone was ominous: ''You need to come to the office so we can talk about it.''
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