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Friday, March 8, 2013

Abortion in cases of Mother's Life or Fetal Deformity


People may find my stance on abortion as a bit extreme and unreasonable.  Most Pro-Life advocates allow for exceptions for rape, incest, mother's life, or fetal deformity.  SO as not to be accused of being unreasonable here is my answer to those questions.  I realize these are idealistic and require doctors and mothers to be honest in their assessment, but this is how I feel.

Rape or Incest: Morning after pill should be administered and the victim should be closely monitored.  If conception does occur then an early abortion should be available.  If a minor is discovered to be pregnant  and was to scared to come forward that may be an exception as well.  But these cases are incredibly rare and account for less than 2% of annual abortions. (pg113 table 2)

Mother's Health:  If continuing the pregnancy puts the mother's life at risk then labor should be induced and allow the mother to deliver the child.  This is a medical issue and should not be dictated by abortion laws.  If a woman suffers from Preeclampsia the only cure is for the woman to not be pregnant anymore.  In these cases the baby is delivered early so that the mother may recover.  I have had more than one friend suffer from this illness and the babies are born, usually premature, but they survive and rarely have any side effects from their premature birth.  The HEALTH of the mother only accounts for 12% of abortions (pg 113, table 2)

Fetal Abnormality or Deformity:  Again, the pregnancy should continue as long as it is deemed safe for the mother and then labor should be induced.  If the abnormalities or deformities are severe enough to affect the babies life then the baby will die of natural causes.  Aborting babies for chromosomal defects such as Downs, Pallister Killian, or Russel Silvers Syndromes is selfish and unacceptable. We may not judge what dictates worthiness of having life  Only 13% of abortions fall under the category of POSSIBLE problems affecting the fetus. (pg 113, table 2)
Real Life Examples, these are personal, not third hand:

I have a friend from high school, she and her husband were excited to find they were expecting their first child. Unfortunately the baby had severe health problems and his little body was not growing and developing as expected. His condition was one deemed, "not compatible with life outside the womb". She was given the option to have a medically necessary abortion. Why continue a pregnancy that would only result in a dead baby. Devastated by the news, the couple refused the abortion, clinging to the precious time they had left with their baby. They would continue the pregnancy as long as possible, because that would be the only time they had with him. By 34 weeks it was deemed unsafe for the mother to continue with the pregnancy, and like any other medical condition that puts the mother at risk (preeclampsia) labor was induced. She delivered her little boy and he died moments after birth. They loved their baby and gave him every chance, it was as it should be. There will never be any questions of 'what if?'. Their baby died, he was not aborted.

My nephew has Pallister Killian Syndrome.  It is a mosaic syndrome meaning some children may live in a vegetative state or like my nephew who is severely disabled, but walks, feeds himself, enjoys piano, plays with toys, and brings much work and joy to his family.

A little girl I go to church with has Downs Syndrome, her mother was older, the pregnancy was not exactly wanted, her other children were teens and twenties.  But she, like I, believes in the value of every human life and brought this amazing little girl into the world.  She is a bright 10 year old.  She is a joy to their family, her congregation, and her teachers.  She loves to sing, dance, give hugs, and she LOVES babies.  She became an aunt at the ripe old age of 5.  Moms at church know to keep an eye on their little ones as she will pick them up and pack them off to sit with her.  She reads at grade level and shows every prospect of leading a full and happy life.  I don't think I have ever met anyone happier than this little girl.  And interestingly enough I have never seen her parents happier or her father more approachable.

A young man my husband works with in Scouts has Russel Silvers Syndrome.  Very little is known about the syndrome and that has been a challenge for his parents.  But he is a loving and kind young man.  He has a lower IQ and is short of stature, but he enjoys life, he is always happy.  He loves riding bikes with his brothers and pulling teenage stunts to impress the ladies.

I worked with a young woman at the local high school.  Her biological mother attempted to abort her at 28 weeks gestation, for what I can only assume were selfish reasons.  It is a safe assumption since 74% of woman cite inconvenience as their reason for having an abortion (pg 113, table 2).  By all appearances she only existed in a vegetative like state.  Then I got to know her.  She is mostly blind, immobile, nonverbal, and on a feeding tube.  She loves music, hearing stories, hates textures, and enjoys playing practical jokes on her teachers and classmates. She lives forever in a childlike innocence, and though her mother's choice created a lot of work for her father and step mother, she brings peace and joy into the lives of all those she meets.

Potential parents abort babies that may possibly have disabilities often citing that they will have a lower quality of life.  I suggest that they are more worried about their own quality of life than that of their child, because every disabled individual I have ever met is far more jovial than the average population. 

I reaffirm my stance and belief that every life is of value and that only God may determine who lives and who dies, and in the end, it is HE with whom we must ultimately stand accountable, regardless of our laws.

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