I was disappointed that there was no change to the abortion law yesterday. There are many view points within the debate on what is or isn't right. One point, from the 'keep to 24 weeks' camp is the following (see more here):
"Studies, including one published in the British Medical Journal this month, show that while survival rates have increased significantly for babies born at 24 and 25 weeks, they have not risen for babies born 23 weeks or less. Very few terminations take place at this stage of pregnancy, but those in favour of keeping the limit as it is say that it is often the 20 week scan which reveals severe abnormalities."
How sad it is that the new life that has grown to 20 weeks inside a mother's womb seems to been viewed by some to have such insignificant value that it can be destroyed and disposed of like unwanted waste because 'abnormalities' might be apparent? We all have some kind of abnormality!! Whilst some babies might have no chance of survival or a 'limited' quality of life (and I say limited based on how others measure quality of life), what about the existing relationships and bonds that have already developed between the child and mother?? How much can we trust the opinions of medics based on data from machines?
At 6 and a half weeks into my 3rd pregnancy I had a bleed and was told, after a scan, that there seemed to be no development of the baby. I went back for a second scan a week later and the result was the same. After a 3rd scan after another week, I was told that the pregnancy wasn't continuing and was advised to have a D&C to remove the 'empty' pregnancy sac. I was devastated as this wasn't a planned pregnancy and we felt truly blessed to be having another baby. I declined the op, for fear that they might be wrong! That night, a friend turned up at our house with a word from the Lord and told us to believe in faith for our unborn child. We thought that either he was off his head or that had really had heard from God. My husband felt that it was a message from God and so we waited in faith, as I continued to be very sick. We had many phone calls from well meaning medical staff in the weeks that followed asking how I was and if I had miscarried yet!?! Hubby thanked them for their concern but told them our faith was in God. They must have thought we were mad! At 12 weeks, and having not actually miscarried, my doctor asked me to go back for another scan as I was still being violently sick and was dangerously dehydrated. A wonderful Christian midwife was there to greet us and she did the scan. My husband and mum were with me an we all watched the monitor as the mindwife took great delight in pointing our how our 12 week old baby was developing well!! Doctors were very confused ...!!!
At 22 weeks into my pregnancy with our beautiful son (who is 9 months today!), we had a scan to see how the baby was growing (as I was being monitored for gestational diabetes). We were told that 2 problems had been identified that indicated that there could be something, possibly terminal, wrong with our baby. We were advised to have an amnio test (which carries a small chance of miscarriage) but declined. The consultant stressed that the condition of our baby could be severe, and we were asked again to think about having the test. It seemed as though we were talking in tongues or something as we were saying that regardless of what might be wrong with our baby we weren't prepared to take the chance of miscarriage! Being told there was something wrong wouldn't have made us terminate so it was absolutely pointless in finding out earlier if there was something wrong! We left the room and as we walked along the corridor my husband looked at me and said, "There's nothing wrong, I know there's nothing wrong and these people are deceived". As the weeks went on in my pregnancy it became obvious from further scans at 28 and 32 weeks that whatever the problems had been they had seemed to have gone! Our son was born absolutely perfect!
Praise God for His goodness!!!
