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November 10, 1989, Vol 262, No. 18 >
ARTICLE | November 10, 1989

The Purpose of Survival: Is It Cognitive Development?

Barbara Staub, MD
JAMA. 1989;262(18):2539. doi:10.1001/jama.1989.03430180077019.
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To the Editor.—  I have no quarrel with the conclusions drawn by Chervenak and McCullough.1 I disagree strongly, however, with some of the assertions they made along the way.A major premise is that the fetus will require intelligence to be valued as a human being. I take strong exception to their reference to "survival that confers no or only very little benefit, because it is very probable that the purpose of survival, cognitive development, is not achievable."Are we to understand that cognitive development is the purpose of survival?As mother of a son who was born "normal," but achieved no developmental milestones, and indeed lost some, I find that assertion troubling. While he lived, our son was as entitled to life— and to society's protection—as anyone else. If anything, he needed more protection, because he was unable to defend himself. In his life he knew love, and

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

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