Fed up of posts asking if we should have children. Feel free to disagree with me.
People with schizophrenia were having children long before schizophrenia was identified as a medical condition. I don't believe it's inherently unethical for someone with schizophrenia to become a parent.
The idea that people with schizophrenia shouldn't have children assumes that a life with schizophrenia is not worth living. I don't agree with that. While schizophrenia can be a very serious illness, many people living with it still find meaning, happiness, love, and purpose. Personally, I'd rather have lived with schizophrenia than never have existed at all. I know some people with the illness feel differently, and I respect that, but they don't speak for everyone.
There is also no guarantee that a child of a parent with schizophrenia will develop the condition. Although the risk is higher than in the general population, most children of parents with schizophrenia do not develop it. Likewise, people with no family history can still develop schizophrenia. Genetics increase risk, but they do not determine someone's future.
I read schizophrenia affects roughly 0.3% to 0.7% of the population. That's millions of people worldwide. Should all of them be discouraged from having children because of an increased risk? If we apply that principle consistently, where would we draw the line? Many medical conditions and disabilities have a hereditary component, yet we generally believe people should be free to make their own reproductive choices.
Medical care also continues to improve. Better medications, therapies, early intervention, and support services mean that many people with schizophrenia today can lead fuller lives than was possible in the past. Future advances may further reduce the impact of the illness.
Ultimately, I believe the decision to have children should be based on an individual's circumstances, their ability to care for a child, and informed personal choice, not simply on a diagnosis. Having schizophrenia alone does not make someone incapable of being a loving or responsible parent, nor does it mean their future child is destined to have the illness.