Medical Question for Gov. Palin

A noted pathologist and professor of medicine is curious about how they practice in Alaska:

"While Gov. Palin is being praised for choosing to proceed with her pregnancy despite a pre-natal diagnosis of Down syndrome, why was the procedure performed in the first place?

"Amniocentesis is employed in older mothers to detect genetic abnormalities (as it did here) so that abortion can be considered as an option. It is not recommended for younger women because the danger to the fetus outweighs the possible 'benefit' to be gained through detection of genetic abnormality. In other words, more normal fetuses would be aborted by the procedure than would abnormal ones be detected.

"Since Gov. Palin's convictions precluded the possibility that she would decide to abort the fetus irrespective of the outcome of the amniocentesis test, why did she subject her unborn child to the very real risk of death that this procedure carries?"

Is there an Alaskan doctor in the house to explain it?