“I was aborted but I did not die.”

The above is a statement by Gianna Jessen, a Christian pro-life activist from the US, who was adopted at the age of four after living in foster care from infancy after a failed saline abortion attempt. The failed abortion that should have burnt her in her mother’s womb led to her being born with cerebral palsy, a non-progressive, non-contagious motor condition that affects various areas of body movement. She stated that “through prayer and hard work by my foster mother, I was walking at the age of three and the half with the help of a walker and leg braces. Now, I am left with only a slight limp.” This experience formed the underlying message of her activism –

Abortion is a very controversial issue, yet more and more women are having abortions every year. The majority of abortions performed today are done for social, not medical reasons. Many young pregnant women, who have unplanned pregnancies believe that abortion is the only solution to their problem. In the USA, it is estimated that over 50 million potential lives have been terminated by abortion since 1973. Here in Nigeria, abortion is illegal and carries a heavy jail sentence, unless it is performed to save the life of a pregnant woman.

The pro-life  or anti-abortion movement argues that even non-viable, undeveloped human life is sacred and must be protected. The pro-choice  or pro-abortion movement on the other hand, argues that prior to the point of viability (when the baby can survive outside of the womb), the government does not have the right to impede a woman’s right to decide whether or not to continue a pregnancy.

The decision to abort an unborn child is often a very difficult one, and there are various reasons that push people to make such a choice. Common reasons are, financial instability, partner or parental pressure, the potential negative impact on the mother’s life – pregnancy at the wrong time can have a lifelong impact on the mother’s finances and prospects, relationship problems, unwillingness to be a single mother and health issues.

Some of the most common reasons given for why abortion should be made legal are:

• Abortion is a termination of a pregnancy, not a baby. A person becomes a person at birth not conception.
• Fetuses are incapable of feeling pain when an abortion is performed
• When women have access to legal abortions performed by a medical professional, it reduces injuries and deaths caused by unsafe, illegal abortions.
• Modern, medical abortion procedures are safe.
• Abortion gives couples the options to choose not to bring babies with severe and life-threatening conditions to the full term. It is wrong to sentence a child to life with an acute handicap.

Those who are against abortion commonly give the following reasons (amongst others) for why abortion should be illegal:

• Life begins at conception and since no civilized society permits people to intentionally take the life of another, the same should apply to an unborn child.
• Adoption is a feasible alternative to abortion.
• In the instance of a pregnancy as a result of rape or incest,instead of punishing the unborn child, the perpetrator should be punished.
• An abortion can result in medical complications later in life.
• Many women who go through abortions have life-long regrets afterwards – some women have experienced a psychological condition called Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS) which can cause recurrent memories of the procedure, sexual dysfunction, guilt, damaged self esteem, memory impairment, hostile outbursts, substance abuse, insomnia, problems with emotional relationships etc.

If you are considering having an abortion, here are some facts to consider:

• At the moment of conception, 46 chromosomes with 30,000 genes combine to determine the child’s sex, facial features, color of eyes, hair and skin and the many other physical characteristics that make the child unique
• Fertilization takes place one day after the intercourse, at this stage the genetic composition of the child is form such as gender, hair and eye colour, facial features etc
• 18days after conception, the baby’s heart begins to beat
• 40days after conception, the child’s brain starts to function
• 6 weeks after conception, the fingers begin to form
• 2 months after conception, the child’s has his/her own set of unique footprints
• 9 weeks after conception, the child is able to respond to touch

Some bible scholars state that the blood of innocent aborted babies sometimes cries for justice (like Abel’s). I can think of no justification for abortion, except as a medical resolution to issues of life or death. The best way to prevent abortion is stated in the bible – avoid sex before marriage (abstinence). However, if you are already pregnant, instead of opting for an abortion, you can repent of your sin and trust that God is able to supply all your needs, including those of your child (Philippians 4:19). If you have already had an abortion, you can repent (ask God for mercy) and make better decisions going forward. If you really feel unable to care for a child, a viable alternative to abortion is adoption. There is no such thing as an unwanted baby, there are families willing to adopt.

Don’t jeopardize your future through the decisions you make today. God has a plan for you…