Iceland, a nation celebrated for its natural beauty and progressive policies, has garnered international criticism for a far more sobering reality: the near-eradication of Down syndrome births through prenatal screening and abortion.

Since the early 2000s, about 80–85 percent of Icelandic women choose to undergo prenatal testing, and nearly all who receive a positive result for Down syndrome end their pregnancy through abortion. Today, only one or two children with Down syndrome are born in Iceland annually—usually due to testing errors.

The Icelandic Ministry of Welfare insists this is not about eradicating a genetic condition, framing the policy as a matter of personal choice and informed consent. Yet for the global Down syndrome community and many pro-life advocates, the numbers tell a different story.

They see an unspoken societal message: that people with Down syndrome are burdens rather than blessings. This runs counter to the very mission of ministries and advocacy groups dedicated to affirming the inherent value of every person, regardless of ability.

Mia Armstrong, SAF-AFTRA actress, voiceover artist, advocate, author and will speak at 2026 Rose Day.

Mia Armstrong’s life and work offer a powerful rebuttal to that message. Born with Down syndrome, Mia has become a history-making SAG-AFTRA actress, voiceover artist and advocate. She broke barriers as the first child with Down syndrome to voice a cartoon character and to star in a leading role in a Christmas movie. She has addressed national audiences, appeared on major media platforms, and in 2025, she opened the National Pro-Life Summit with a call to celebrate life in all its forms.

Mia’s advocacy extends to the written word. Her children’s book, I Am A Masterpiece, offers an honest, first-person glimpse into the joys and challenges of growing up with Down syndrome. The book, named an Amazon Editor’s Pick and highlighted by Good Housekeeping as a “must-read,” was honored among the Top 18 books written by authors with disabilities. Its central message is anchored in Ephesians 2:10 (NLT): “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

The contrast between Iceland’s statistics and Mia’s story is striking. Where Iceland’s system quietly assumes that a life with Down syndrome is best avoided, Mia’s life testifies to the richness, potential and purpose embedded in every human being. She is living evidence that individuals with Down syndrome can contribute to the arts, inspire change, model resilience, and, most importantly, glorify God.

In 2026, Mia and her mother, Cara Armstrong, will share their story at Rose Day on Feb. 4, 2026 at the Oklahoma State Capitol, an event dedicated to honoring the sanctity of life. Their message will echo what her own life proclaims: that God intentionally designs every person, and no prenatal test can measure the value of a soul.

The debate over Iceland’s policies is not simply about medical ethics or women’s rights—it is about the kind of society we choose to cultivate. Will it be one that quietly eliminates those who don’t fit a certain mold, or one that embraces the full spectrum of humanity? Mia Armstrong’s journey offers an unambiguous answer: every life has purpose, every life has value, and every life is, indeed, a masterpiece.

For more information, visit https://www.roseday.life/.

Article Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-iceland/
https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-article/2018/03/26/Facts-about-Downs-syndrome-and-pre-natal-screening-in-Iceland/
https://www.jheaonline.org/pdf/7_klucznik_Slepian_jhea.10.7164.pdf
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-01/iceland-prenatal-testing-down-syndrome-ethics/103781058
https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/25/europe/ireland-abortion-referendum-5-years-intl-cmd
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/abortion/methods/after-12-weeks/