The Truth About Abortion

Do you consider yourself pro-choice? Would you say that abortion is part of women’s healthcare? Do you believe that there are acceptable reasons to have an abortion? There was a time when I would have answered yes to the last question. However, I now believe it is impossible to follow Christ and support any form of abortion.  

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Psalm 127:3-5

There is a story trending on the internet about a YouTube couple who announced that they terminated their pregnancy after finding out their unborn child might have Down syndrome. This story resonates with me because it reminded me of my own story. My heart truly breaks for couples like this one, but probably not for the reason you may think. More on that later.  

I found out I was pregnant with my first child when I was nineteen years old, unmarried and a student in college. Some may argue that is reason enough to have an abortion. When I had my first ultrasound I found out that my son had spots on his brain that were consistent with Down syndrome. The doctor told me I had two options. I could terminate the pregnancy now, or I could wait to see a specialist. He said termination would be easier now rather than later. I informed him that there was no way I was ending this pregnancy. 

Why I Chose Life

I grew up in a conservative home, and my parents didn’t sugarcoat the truth about abortion. They never referred to it as women’s healthcare. Instead, they referred to it as the murder of an unborn child. I never saw it as anything other than that. While my pregnancy wasn’t planned, from the moment I found out, I knew I had a child inside me. I understood that it was my responsibility to protect him because I was his mother, and he could not protect himself. 

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:13-14

In addition to that, I grew up with a family friend who had Down syndrome. He was highly functional and one of the kindest people I have ever met. Today he is an avid golfer who competes in the Special Olympics. My doctor’s advice was the first time I was introduced to the ugly truth that some people abort children because they have Down syndrome. This broke my heart. I know mothers and grandmothers of children and adults with Down syndrome. I can only imagine how heartbreaking stories like this one are to them. 

I’m so thankful that my parents taught me the value of all human life. While this was not a time in my life that I can say that I was following Christ, I can say that His hand was present. I am thankful to Him that He sustained me through this time of uncertainty. Now I know that He had a plan for me and my son. I could have easily been persuaded by the doctors. I mean didn’t they know more than I did? Even though I was facing an unknown future, I still felt confident that keeping my child was the right choice. 

How It Turned Out

A week or so later, I went to the pediatric neurologist who did another ultrasound. Immediately he told me that he believed the marks on my son’s brain were calcium deposits. He recommended that I come back in a month. At my next ultrasound the marks were gone. 

I felt betrayed by my doctor. I mean, he presented this to me like Down syndrome was the diagnosis and that termination was an obvious choice. Then a month later I’m told there are no signs of Down syndrome. I wondered about the number of babies who have been aborted because their parents were made to believe that they had Down syndrome or some sort of birth defect. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Today my son is 25-years-old and a registered nurse, and I am quite proud of him. I didn’t plan to be a mom at twenty (he was born one week after my birthday). However, he’s one of my greatest gifts from God. God has used my relationship with my son to grow me, challenge me and grow me closer to Him. I am honored that He allows me to be his mom, and I know that He loves my son even more than I ever could. When we face uncertainty, we must trust the Lord because He is sovereign over all things and His understanding is greater than ours. 

Why Truth Matters

My heart breaks over stories like this one because there are mothers and fathers who believe that terminating a pregnancy is the right answer. They think this is their best choice and that they have no other option. Like me, their doctors probably presented it to them as the obvious choice, and now they are stuck with the pain of losing a child. I have no doubt that parents like these hurt over the loss of their child’s life and for what could have been.  

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20

This is the world we live in, and this is why the truth of God’s Word is so important. The unbelieving world encourages us to sin, but has no answers for the painful consequences of our sin. There is a reason they call it pro-choice and not pro-abortion. It is for the same reason they call abortion women’s health. They don’t want us to realize the utter depravity of killing unborn children. 

Thanks to the internet, we have access to so much information, and yet many choose to be ignorant. We would rather base our opinions on anecdotal stories than look up the facts about abortion. Do you know the procedure for an abortion at each trimester of a pregnancy? It’s disgusting. Do you know that there are over a million clinician-provided abortions in the U.S. every year? If you break down the math, that is two abortions per minute for every 24-hour-day of the year. That makes me physically ill to think about. 

Living Truth 

You can not support abortion of any kind and claim to follow the God who calls children a heritage, who forms them in their mother’s womb and who hates and detests hands that shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16-17). You must be honest with yourself that pro-choice is following the world, not Jesus. It is an absolute rejection of the sovereignty of God. His Word is clear, and we can not continue to be ignorant. 

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11

I once believed that while abortion was never an option for me, it should be an option for others. I wanted to be on the side that made the number of abortions go down, but not necessarily got rid of abortion altogether. As a follower of Christ, I realize that there are no acceptable abortions. Stories like this couple’s should remind us that we must advocate for the most vulnerable in society. The unbelieving world would rather advocate for abortion than champion motherhood. That is not God’s design. 

I encourage you as a follower of Christ, to know the truth found in God’s Word and to know the truth about abortion. Listen to Him as you form your opinions on the matter and stop listening to the unbelieving world around you. Lastly, if you have had an abortion, know that there is forgiveness and healing available to you through Jesus Christ.

I would love to hear from you. Email me through my Contact Page. Be sure to check out my Resource Page for Bible study and prayer resources.