Category: Family

How to Talk About Abortion with Your Teen from a Pro-Life Standpoint

Talking about abortion with your teen can feel like walking into a room full of emotional tripwires. One wrong word and suddenly you are “judgmental.” Another wrong word and you are “old-fashioned.” Say “unborn baby” and they may say “foetus.” Say “pro-life” and they may hear “anti-woman.” Say nothing at all and TikTok will gladly raise your child for you.

So yes, this conversation matters. A lot.

And no, you do not need a theology degree, a medical textbook, or the debating skills of a courtroom lawyer to have it. You need love, clarity, patience, and a backbone. Preferably all four at the same time.

8 Tips to Talk About Abortion to Teens

Start by listening first

This may sound strange, but the first step in talking about abortion is not talking. It is listening. Resist the heroic parental urge to interrupt every three seconds.

This is hard. Especially when your teen says something like, “it’s just a clump of cells,” and your soul briefly leaves your body.

Still, listen.

You are not listening because every opinion is equally true. You are listening because your teen needs to know that this is a safe conversation. If they feel attacked, they will shut down. If they feel respected, they may actually think.

That is the goal. The goal is to help your teen think clearly about human life, human dignity, and real compassion.

Begin with the central question

The abortion debate can become very noisy.

People talk about rights, choice, fear, poverty, health, trauma, politics, religion, and freedom. These are serious issues. They should not be dismissed. But the central question remains simple: what is the unborn child?

Everything depends on that.

If the unborn child is not a human being, then abortion is not a serious moral issue. It may be a medical decision, a private choice, or a personal preference. But if the unborn child is a human being, then abortion is not just one choice among many. It is the taking of a human life.

That is the heart of the pro-life view.

Keep bringing the conversation back to this question. Not in a robotic way. You are not a broken printer. But gently and clearly.

You might say: “I understand why people talk about women’s rights. That matters. But we also need to ask whether there is another human being involved.”

This helps your teen see that the pro-life position is not based on being mean, controlling, or allergic to modern life. It is based on the belief that every human life has value, including the smallest and most vulnerable.

Use simple science, not complicated speeches

You do not need to bury your teen under Latin terms. Simple facts are enough.

The unborn child is alive. The unborn child is growing. The unborn child has their own unique DNA. They are not part of the mother’s body in the same way her heart or kidney is part of her body. They are in her body, but they are not her body.

That matters.

A pregnant woman does not have four arms, four legs, two hearts, and two sets of DNA because she has suddenly become a biological overachiever. There is another human being there. Say it simply.

From the beginning, the unborn child is a distinct human organism. Small, dependent, and developing, yes. But still human.

And here is a helpful line: “being small does not make someone less human. Being dependent does not make someone disposable.”

That sentence does a lot of work.

Do not mock their concerns

Your teen may raise difficult questions.

“What about rape?”

“What about a young girl who is pregnant?”

“What if the family is poor?”

“What if the mother is scared?”

“What if the baby has a disability?”

Do not brush these questions aside. Do not answer with slogans. Do not say, “Well, that hardly ever happens,” even if some cases are statistically rare. If your teen brings it up, it matters to them.

The pro-life answer must be both truthful and compassionate.

You can say: “these situations are heartbreaking. The woman or girl needs real help, protection, medical care, emotional support, and practical support. But the child is still innocent too. We should never answer violence or suffering by ending the life of another vulnerable human being.”

That is not cold. That is consistent. Compassion does not mean choosing which vulnerable person gets protected. Compassion means finding ways to love both.

Explain what “choice” really means

“Choice” is a powerful word. It sounds free. Bright. Modern. But not every choice is good simply because it is a choice.

People can choose kind things. People can choose cruel things. People can choose brave things. People can choose selfish things. The moral question is not only, “can I choose?” It is also, “what am I choosing?”

This is important for teens. They are surrounded by a culture that treats choice as sacred.

My body. My choice.

My life. My choice.

My truth. My choice.

But a mature moral life asks deeper questions.

Who is affected by my choice?

Is another person harmed?

Does freedom mean doing anything I want, or does it mean choosing the good?

You can tell your teen: “freedom is not just the power to choose. It is the responsibility to choose what is right.”

Be honest about women’s struggles

Pregnancy can be frightening. It can be painful. It can disrupt studies, work, relationships, family life, and plans. Some women are pressured by boyfriends, parents, friends, doctors, or employers. Some feel trapped. Some feel abandoned.

Say that clearly.

Your teen needs to know that being pro-life does not mean ignoring women. It means refusing to abandon them.

A truly pro-life view says: No woman should feel that abortion is her only option.

No woman should be left alone in fear. No woman should be pressured into ending the life of her child. No woman should be told she must choose between her future and her baby.

This is where practical help matters. Talk about pregnancy support. Talk about counselling. Talk about material help. Talk about adoption. Talk about families and communities stepping up.

The pro-life movement must never be only about saying “no” to abortion. It must also be about saying “yes” to life, yes to support, yes to sacrifice, yes to inconvenient love.

Because love is sometimes inconvenient. That is how you know it is not just a slogan.

Teach them to spot bad arguments

Teens are smart. They can learn to see weak arguments.

Here are a few common ones.

“It is just a clump of cells.”

So are all of us, technically. Some of us are just clumps of cells with Wi-Fi and anxiety. The question is not whether the unborn child has cells. The question is what kind of being those cells make up.

“No uterus, no opinion.”

This shuts down discussion instead of answering the moral question. Men can be wrong about abortion. Women can also be wrong. Truth is not decided by anatomy.

“Abortion is healthcare.”

Healthcare heals. It treats disease. It protects life. Abortion deliberately ends the life of the unborn child. Calling it healthcare does not settle the argument. It hides the argument.

“You cannot force your beliefs on others.”

Every law reflects some belief about right and wrong. Laws against theft, abuse, discrimination, and violence all “force” the belief that people should not be harmed. The question is whether unborn children deserve protection too.

Encourage your teen to think.

Keep your tone calm and human

Seeds take time. Your job is not to force instant agreement. Your job is to speak truth with love and keep the door open. Avoid turning every car ride into “Abortion Debate: Episode 47.”

Let the conversation breathe.

Admit when a question is difficult. And admit it when you do not know something. Teens respect honesty more than fake certainty.

And above all, make sure your teen knows this: that if they or someone they know ever faces an unexpected pregnancy, they can come to you. And you may lead them to those who can actually help.

… You can also support our NGO so we can continue defending unborn children, supporting women, and building a culture where every human life is welcomed and protected.

Talk About Abortion

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Tarbija titwieled b’saħħitha minkejja li t-tobba ssuġġerew li jsir abort

Madwar 20 sena ilu, omm ta’ żewġt itfal li kienet qed tistenna tarbija ingħatat l-aħbar li t-tarbija fil-ġuf mhux qed jiżviluppalha l-moħħ kif mistenni, u li kawża ta’ hekk, ikun aħjar li tirreferi għall-abort, liema parir ġie rrifjutat mill-ġenituri.

Din l-istorja ħarġet fil-beraħ matul simpożju dwar il-kura ħolistika għall-familji li qed jistennew tarbija li għandha xi forma ta’ diżabilità, organizzat mil-Life Network Foundation, fejn bosta ommijiet kif ukoll professjonisti fil-qasam mediku esprimew l-esperjenzi u sitwazzjonijiet xejn faċli li jaffaċċjaw. Fosthom tkellem ukoll it-tabib John Bruchalski li minn professjonist li kien jagħmel l-abort fuq nisa tqal wasal biex sar tabib favur il-ħajja, liema konverżjoni seħħet meta kien qed iwettaq abort fuq mara u fil-pront twieldet it-tarbija li kien se jtemmilha ħajjitha qabel iż-żmien.

Christina Galea Curmi rrakkontat li vista fir-raba’ xahar tat-tqala biddlet il-ħajja tagħha u tar-raġel. Minn sken irriżulta li fuq moħħ it-tarbija bdiet tidher marka li ma setgħux jinterpretaw x’tikkonsisti. Minkejja li saru numru ta’ testijiet inkluż MRI fuq il-fetu, ir-riżultati ma setgħu jikkonkludu xejn.

Għaldaqstant, il-koppja rrikorriet għal parir minn żewġ timijiet prominenti fil-qasam mediku ta’ sptarijiet prestiġġjużi f’Londra u Boston. Wara bosta evalwazzjonijiet, l-esperti waslu għall-konklużjoni li ma kien hemm l-ebda indikazzjoni li l-moħħ tat-tarbija kien qed jiżviluppa. Minħabba t-tħassib tagħhom għall-iżvilupp newroloġiku tat-tarbija hija u tikber, il-professjonisti waslu biex issuġġerew lill-koppja tagħmel abort.

Madanakollu, il-koppja Galea Curmi rrifjutat dan il-parir, hekk kif għalihom li kienu diġà ġenituri ta’ żewġt itfal, kienu lesti li jilqgħu it-tielet wild tagħhom minkejja l-problemi li setgħet iġarrab. L-omm, Christina, qalet li kienu kommessi li jagħtu l-aħjar ħajja possibli lit-tifla tagħhom.

It-tarbija titwieled kompletament b’saħħitha

Meta wasal il-jum tat-twelid, Katarina twieldet b’C-section u għall-iskantament ta’ kulħadd, twieldet kompletament b’saħħitha. Għaldaqstant, il-biża’ u l-ansjetà mill-pariri li ngħataw mit-tobba sfaxxaw fix-xejn, hekk kif f’idejhom kellhom tarbija mingħajr ebda anormalità.

Għaldaqstant, matul il-konferenza Christina saħqet li l-parir tal-esperti mediċi ma kienx biss misinterpretazzjoni iżda wkoll kif minkejja l-iżviluppi mediċi li qed isiru fix-xjenza, xorta jistgħu jkunu suġġetti għall-iżball. Iktar minn hekk, semmiet kif wieħed ma għandu jissuġġerixxi t-terminazzjoni tal-ħajja għall-ebda raġuni.

20 sena wara, dik it-tarbija li skont l-esperti kellha tiġi abortita, Katarina, hija studenta li qed taħdem fil-qasam tas-saħħa u tiddedika l-ħajja tagħha fis-servizz lejn l-oħrajn. Il-ħajja tagħha, għaldaqstant, isservi bħala xhieda tal-valur fundamentali tal-ħajja tal-bniedem.

Ma’ Newsbook Malta, Katarina li tinsab fit-tielet sena tal-kors tagħha biex issir qabla – midwife – qalet li l-istudju tagħha qed jgħinha tapprezza dejjem iktar l-isfidi kbar li jgħaddu minnhom l-ommijiet u l-missirijiet fit-tqala.

Hi kompliet tgħid li l-istudju jikkonsolida l-għarfien tagħha speċjalment f’każijiet ta’ diffikultà għall-ġenituri u t-tarbija fil-ġuf. “Għalhekk napprezza dejjem iktar l-għażliet li għamlu l-mamà u l-papà,” qalet ma’ dan is-sit.

Min-naħa tagħha, l-omm sostniet li l-esperjenza li għaddiet minnha tiżvela l-bżonn li wieħed jistaqsi u jeżamina l-vuċijiet l-aktar b’saħħithom partikolarment dawk tal-awtorità.

Hija temmet id-diskors tagħha tistqarr li l-valur tal-ħajja ma jistax jitkejjel dejjem mill-aspett tas-saħħa jew tal-konvenjenza, iżda mid-determinazzjoni u l-fidi li twassal għal riżultati straordinarji.

Illum, il-Ħadd 1 ta’ Diċembru se jsir marċ favur il-ħajja li jitlaq mill-Pjazza Jean De Valette fil-Belt Valletta fit-3:00pm.

Article published by Newsbook

Country singer releases moving song about brother with Down syndrome

A country singer has released a new song about his younger brother with Down syndrome, celebrating the differences they have and urging for inclusion and acceptance.

John Paul Von Arx said on his website that he released the song and music video, which features his brother Sam, to “bring hope to parents expecting a baby with Down Syndrome and express [his] solidarity with families of people with special needs.”

Read the full article here.

#prolife down syndrome special needs

Still fighting for the unborn in one of Europe’s last pro-life sanctuaries

International pressure to change Malta’s abortion law has ebbed and flowed, but has increased greatly in recent years.

On June 23, the Maltese Government made an abrupt positive pro-life U-turn, shelving an abortion “reform” bill the Labor Government had introduced in November 2022 and hoped to enact by Christmas.

It reversed course following a huge public outcry, compounded by the President’s threatened resignation if the bill passed Parliament. As a result, Malta remains one of the last countries in Europe that still protects unborn life.

See the full article here.

#pro-life Malta

Bishop Robert Barron – Key Note Address @ 2022 Cardinal O’Connor Conference of Life

Bishop Barron – Key Note Speech to the 2022 Cardinal O’Connor Conference of Life

#abortion #pro-life history Life theology

The Pregnancy Effect – The Physical and Mental Challenges a Pregnant Woman Faces by Shirley Jobson

It is a legitimate fact: pregnancy is not always easy! Just as we are all unique, every experience we face may also be particular to each person. Some women seem to breeze through their pregnancy and birth with minimal side effects. However, it may not always be as rosy for others.

A woman’s body goes through many changes when she is expecting. She faces physical issues and exacerbated conditions which can be extremely exhausting. Her mental and emotional wellbeing is also put through the wringer, with intense levels of psychological ups and downs. She may even feel guilt and shame for experiencing depression at a time when she is expected to be celebrating the new life inside her.

I spoke to three Maltese women to explore what they went through during their pregnancies.

In the course of her two pregnancies, at ages 39 and 42, C. experienced various challenges which affected both her physical and mental state.

“I suffer from scoliosis, and my back problems increased during both my pregnancies. I endured an inflammation of the sciatic nerve both times, leading to a constantly painful back which made sitting and lying down extremely tough.”

Eating was also a “double-edged sword” for C. “I used to get hungry, of course, but after eating, I would feel very bloated, heavy, and nauseous. I also suffered from heartburn, which was more severe in my second pregnancy. This left me with constant pain in my stomach. As the baby grew, its position increased my discomfort considerably.”

Sadly, C.’s first pregnancy resulted in a stillbirth a few weeks before her due date.

“Yes, there were obviously mental struggles. I’m sure these occur in every pregnancy—you don’t need to experience a stillbirth. The worry, the sleepless nights, the fear of the unknown. Will the baby be delivered safely? How will I manage to breastfeed?”

“It is obviously quite tough to have another child after experiencing a stillbirth. But I really wanted this child, and we happily got pregnant—and I repeat, happily! Thankfully, our second pregnancy was fruitful!”

S.* fell pregnant at 19 years of age—“and it just shook my world!”

An unplanned pregnancy may bring overwhelming psychological issues, which, along with the physical side effects, can be enormously distressing. Furthermore, a girl still in her teens might not feel fully prepared for such a tremendous change in her life.

“My first pregnancy resulted in a very traumatic birth,” explained S.* “I was prepped for a C-section—which never happened! My baby was born via ventouse. I had a million doctors observing me during the birth—for which I was never asked permission. Afterward, I couldn’t even sit down because of all the stitches. It was a nightmare!”

Assisting a birth with a ventouse involves attaching a vacuum cup to the baby’s head through suction, a procedure which involves a number of risks for both the mother and the baby. Moreover, S.* felt that no one was explaining anything to her during the process.

“I was so traumatised by the birth of my firstborn, I thought I was going to die.”

S.*’s troubles did not stop there, however. “I had problems breastfeeding. I was really struggling and having a hard time mentally. In fact, I had post-natal depression for a year afterwards. The whole experience left me shaken.”

In spite of all this, S.* still went on to have two more children in her twenties.

At 42 years of age, J.’s experience “defied science and logic from the start”.

“Getting pregnant at 42 was incredible, especially without the basic vitamins needed. Since this was my first pregnancy, however, I had a high chance of miscarrying. We learned that, scientifically, the mother is simply a carrier and cannot protect from or prevent the worst. The baby is completely on its own to fight for its own life.”

“I had a fibroid on the posterior wall of my cervix, meaning a natural birth was impossible. This landed me a couple of times in the hospital. I also suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome from the beginning of the second trimester, as well as hypertension (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes. I was confined to bed rest and ended up giving birth via C-section a week before plan. The procedure per se went well; the aftermath was an event that nearly landed me in the ITU.”

It is vital to point out that most physical and mental issues during pregnancy are treatable.

The women I spoke to certainly did not have easy pregnancies. But they all found their own ways to cope.

drank milk to help with her heartburn and took tablets to suppress the acid reflux in her stomach. The mental issues were harder to overcome, but C.’s positive approach helped.

“I never allowed the negative thoughts to take over. My attitude was: this child is precious, and an accident that happened in my first pregnancy will not take that away. I was grateful, and the gratitude literally took over. I just felt . . . it will be ok.”

S.*, on the other hand, was closed to children in her mind, but she reached out to others.

“My family really helped me during my first pregnancy. And my then boyfriend, who is now my husband, was very supportive. It was not easy—we were young but in a totally different stage of life to our friends. My second pregnancy was the best out of the three. During this time, I attended meetings provided by the perinatal mental health services in hospital. These really helped me overcome my past anxieties.”

The major support that J. received from her husband and family was “stellar”.

“I also received support from the perinatal mental health services. Due to a genetic predisposition, I immediately accepted their assistance, even at a time when all I felt was happiness and awe. Thankfully, all tests done on the baby in the womb showed him to be growing in a healthy manner.“

So, is it worth it being pregnant and having babies?

C.’s response was categorical. “In spite of all the issues, it is worth it 101%—if not more! A child is a blessing, a joy, innocent. Children bring out the beauty in humanity. I like to say: humans are children, then they become adults—unfortunately! I find it in myself as well; I’m not always a nice adult,” she added with a smile.

S.* also agreed that the struggles were all worth it. “I would do it again—no doubt about it. Because it’s not about me, it’s about my children. Even with my first pregnancy, it was always about my son. He’s here, so I’m happy about that. Abortion never even crossed my mind. No way—I prefer to die! Giving birth is always stepping into the unknown, but it is so rewarding.”

too extolled the awe-inspiring circumstances surrounding pregnancy and child-bearing.

“A pregnancy and a baby, in all their powers, have the strength to defy science from start to finish. The simple fact that we did manage to deliver a healthy baby is in itself a defiance of the odds. Furthermore, this baby never needed the resuscitation room and never experienced any withdrawal symptoms from the medications I was taking. And if you see him today, he is just a joy to be around.”

“My experience as a mother, both mentally and physically, is another trip of choices. I had every excuse to give in to a pity party. This was an opportunity to become a woman more resilient in all my ways. I want to ensure that, whatever negatives come my way in life, I have an option not to transfer any of them to the baby. I learnt, instead, to deal with them as they come—at times with outside help—and develop new skills on how to tackle every situation.”

concluded: “This journey was also an opportunity to give birth to self. For a woman, this is a unique and precious time to get to see a better version of herself.”

It is clear that both mental and physical issues during pregnancy are common and may be present even after the baby is born. It is vital that the woman or girl speaks up and reaches out. Mental problems are nothing to be ashamed of, and neither is seeking help for them.

Most women do survive the challenges they face when expecting, and most of these can be remedied. Abortion, however, is not a remedy. It is merely a procedure that will bring its own physical and mental problems, rather than solve the situation.

Be inspired by the women who endured and came out stronger than before—as mothers!

And reach out to LifeLine if you are experiencing any kind of predicament during or after your pregnancy at https://lifelinemalta.eu/

*First initial was changed to protect anonymity.

#abortion #pregnancy #prolife #support #unplanned #women Life

A Helping Hand in the Midst of a Crisis Pregnancy!

Life is never plain sailing! Many times, you are cruising along without a care in the world, when an unexpected wave hits you. It may be a small wave, one which you overcome easily by yourself or with the help of your loved ones. But sometimes, you get hit by a huge squall, a storm that leaves you breathless, out of your depth—and, worst of all—feeling alone!

And in those very moments, what you truly need is a Life Line Malta!

Your period is late—and you do not know who to turn to.

You are the victim of abuse, and you’re terrified you might be pregnant.

You are being pressured into having an abortion—and you’re not sure what to do.

You were raped—and you need to reach out.

You had an abortion, and you need to talk to someone about it.

Your pregnancy test is positive—and you are too young, too old, too broke, too alone, too scared.

In short, you have been hit by a crisis!

And this is where Life Line Malta comes in.

Life Line Malta is a service within a pro-life non-governmental organization – Life Network Foundation Malta. The foundation advocates that all human life is valuable and unique , from the moment of conception all the way to natural death. It provides the full resources and authentic information that a person may be seeking when facing an unexpected crisis.

Not every pregnancy is planned or even welcome. It can occur when a woman least expects it; when a girl is still at school; when a baby is the last thing that is wanted. It may be a result of abuse, incest, or violence. A pregnancy may be planned but medical complications affecting either mother or child can lead to a crisis. The news that the baby in the womb may have a disability, other medical complications or a low survival expectancy, either in the womb or after being born, can be overwhelming for the parents.

These and other situations signify a crisis pregnancy. Each pregnancy varies, and every woman may—or may not—experience life-shattering circumstances.

Whatever your situation, Life Line Malta will provide the necessary support.

Life Line’s mission is to endorse every human life from conception to natural death. We aim to help empower every person to make life-affirming choices. We provide the practical, psychological, and material assistance that a woman may need when her world is collapsing about her. And we do this by always prioritising life, both for the woman and the baby!

Life Line offers confidential care, friendly and professional support, and a safe environment for women and all those in need, not only during the pregnancy but also beyond by providing aftercare for the client until they become self-sufficient enough not to require it any longer.

Services offered include:

A 24/7 online chat, run independently of Life Line
A telephone and email service
Professional counsellors and skilled listeners
Medical referrals to professional service providers and any other necessary medical resources
Pregnancy testing
SaveOne Courses for post-abortion healing and counselling
Parenting Classes
Free Training in Women’s Health Programmes
Material Assistance, such as food, clothes, nappies, and other necessities

Life Line also operates a shelter, Dar Tghanniqa T’Omm (Mother’s Embrace Home), for women facing crisis pregnancies. This home provides accommodation as needed, as well as full support and assistance from a skilled team of counsellors and volunteers, throughout the pregnancy as well as after.

Life Line always seeks to safeguard both the woman and the baby.

Women and girls in these troubling situations need proper care, love, and support. They require help to deal with their situation and to move on with their life in a way that prioritises their general wellbeing and health. And this cannot be done if one of the choices presented to them is a procedure which not only terminates the life of the baby, but leaves long-lasting physical and psychological effects on the woman.

Life Line offers all this to women during this most critical time in their lives. Experience has repeatedly shown that women and girls are, in fact, a lot stronger then they may initially believe themselves to be and that this process of empowerment provides the nudge needed to control their situation and overcome the difficulties that accompany it.

This is why we, as a pro-life organisation, will not offer referrals for abortions, not because we want to take away a woman’s right to choose, but because the choices we provide take proper care of both the woman and the baby—at all times! And we will also assist and support any woman or girl who is considering, or has had, an abortion and who comes to us for help

(I would rephrase this as follows :- )

This is why we, as a pro-life organisation, will not offer referrals for abortions – not because we wish to limit any woman’s choices but because we believe in presenting choices that are genuinely intended to provide optimum care for both woman and child – at all times !

And we will also assist and support any woman or girl who is considering or, indeed, has had an abortion and who comes to us for help.

Life Line Malta may be contacted through a variety of options.

Call our 24/7 emergency online chat service on https://www.lifelinemalta.eu. This USA-based helpline is controlled and manned independently of Life Line Malta by org.
Call our private telephone service, on 2033 0023. This is available Monday-Thursday from 08.30-17.00, Friday from 08.30-midnight, and Saturday 16.00-22.00.
Send us an email on lifeline@lifenetwork.eu and one of our skilled listeners will reply as soon as available.

When you contact us, you will first speak with our trained listeners, who will assess your needs and offer guidance. If further help is required, they will connect you with our professional counsellors.

All our forms of contact are confidential and anonymous.

Life Line Malta aims to provide a warm, friendly interface to help empower people to make life-affirming choices. We offer non-judgmental care and support to people in need, and although we are a faith-based centre, we do not impose our faith on any who may seek our help.

We believe that women are strong and resilient in the face of adversity. If you are pregnant and feeling alone and overwhelmed, we want to give you hope. By offering you the right support and encouragement, we know that you can choose life.

Let us hold on to the beauty of life—all the way from conception until natural death!

State-Funded Homicide? – Manuel Mangani

Just a clump of cells?

”Just a clump of cells’’ is the cliched mantra which is often intoned by those who describe themselves as pro-choice, when faced with the accusation that abortion is nothing less than the deliberate killing of a human life. But we all know – or should know – that there is a distinct human life within the mother’s womb. We should also know that this life within the womb is equipped not only with its own genetically distinct and unique identity, but also with the ability to develop all those characteristics which form a fully-fledged human.

Does this mean that any deliberate termination of a human life inside the mother’s womb is tantamount to homicide, if and when one intentionally brings about the destruction of that life? If we define homicide as the deliberate killing of human personby another human person we find ourselves immediately mired in the controversy of what constitutes personhood.

Personhood is not a scientific concept. Personhood is a legal and philosophical concept.

On this basis abortion would therefore be clearly and unequivocally inadmissible.

One of the great debates within the abortion controversy is the question of whether, in its early stages, the zygote/embryo is to be considered a person. Personhood is not a scientific concept. If there is a human biological development which unequivocally signifies that the human life is, as from that moment, to be considered a human person we do not know what it is.

Personhood is a legal and philosophical concept. In so far as the law and philosophical ideas are changeable, so is personhood in this sense. Legally and philosophically one may ‘’decide’’ that a human being is to be considered a person right from birth. But human intuition would rebel against such a definition: how can a particular individual be considered a person the moment he or she emerges from within the mother’s womb but not one second before? Or five minutes before, or two hours, or even seventy-two hours, before? And so on.

Some would take issue with the adoption of a definition of abortion on purely legal and philosophical grounds and would ascribe personhood to all human life which is endowed with at least rudimentary brain structures. The brain starts to form at around the sixth week of gestation which is quite early in the developmental journey inside the womb. However, this position does not quite satisfy the argument that even within the earliest stages of human pre-birth development the individual human life carries within each and every cell the ability to develop all human tissues and organs – what is technically known as toti-potency. What if it is this characteristic rather than a cerebral structure which is objectively the hallmark of personhood?

We simply do not know what objectively, as distinct from ultimately man-made legal or philosophical considerations, constitutes personhood. Faced with this situation the only morally acceptable position is to apply the precautionary principle: we must take care to protect all human life which could possibly be a human person. On this basis abortion would therefore be clearly and unequivocally inadmissible.

Is it Really “My Choice” When “My Body” is Not the Only One in the Equation? by Shirley Jobson

It is one of the most controversial expressions ever coined—and it has been around for over 50 years! When the phrase “my body, my choice” started being heard at protests in the 70s, it was the mantra many women shouted out in the name of empowerment and gender equality. Today, the phrase is still at the forefront of many heated discussions in the fight for reproductive rights and access to abortion.

But is it legitimate for a pregnant woman to refer to her body in the singular?

Let us, first of all, consider a woman who is happy to be pregnant. She has just had a positive pregnancy test and maybe confirmed the result with her doctor. She is over the moon. She starts calling her family, her friends—and what does she tell them? “I’m having a baby!”

She reads up on the natural process of the baby’s growth and development. She looks forward to the ultrasound appointments, peering at the screen to try and see the baby’s forming body parts. She marvels at the sound of the tiny heartbeat. She is surprised at how fiercely she wants to protect the small human growing inside her.

Whenever she thinks about her baby, she strokes her swollen belly lovingly. She is careful about what she eats or drinks. She talks to her baby throughout her day, thinking up different names while wondering whether it is a girl or a boy. Her friends throw her baby showers and gender reveal parties, celebrating the new life she is so eager to hold in her arms.

In other words, when it is wanted, the baby is viewed as a separate human being.

Of course, not every pregnancy is wanted or planned. A girl or woman in a crisis pregnancy is in turmoil. Her doctor offers her the option of abortion. She is terrified. She reaches out to her family and friends—and what do they tell her? “It’s fine to terminate; it’s not even a baby yet!”

She tries to look up more information about abortion, but is left with more questions. At the abortion clinic, she is not even allowed to view the ultrasound. She has no idea that the baby inside her already has visible body parts. Terminating is the only solution that she assumes is available to her. She feels alone and scared.

Whenever she thinks back about the abortion, her belly feels empty and bereft. She loses her appetite and starts to drink at all hours. She wonders whether it would have been a boy or a girl. All she wanted—all she had needed—was just one person to support her, to show her that there were other options.

**But all she is actually told is that it is her right; her body; and therefore, her choice.**

Abortion supporters frequently refer to the preborn baby as mere “tissue” or “cells”. They claim it is a “parasite” invading the woman’s body. They refute the humanity of the fetus to make abortion sound like a normal medical procedure which harms no one. They push forward the “my body, my choice” mantra and simply ignore the fact that there is another body involved—a body which ends up dead after an abortion.

Women have every right to state “my body, my choice” when it comes to making personal decisions—for themselves alone! A woman can opt for regular exercise, or choose to laze around the house all day. She can decide whether she wants to eat healthily, or have a diet of fast food, cigarettes, and alcohol. She has the right to choose how to live her life, because it will affect her and her alone.

When she is pregnant, however, her choices will affect another person.

Sadly, many scoff at the scientific claim that life begins at conception. They are adamant that there is no different person in the womb with distinct DNA and characteristics from the mother. They do not see anything wrong with abortion, because, for them, the other person simply does not yet exist.

There is, however, no question about it—a baby in the womb cannot simply be referred to as a “clump of cells” when it is undesired, and yet regarded as a human being when it is wanted. There is no miraculous switch in the womb that changes one into the other!

Furthermore, the argument that the baby in the womb is not important because it relies on the mother for survival is moot when you consider that even a one-year-old toddler relies completely on its parents. And if a woman can state that a pregnancy is a violation of her bodily autonomy, then, the baby in the womb—as a person independent from her—embodies the same concept with regards to abortion.

Because, no matter the circumstances, the baby still has the right to live!

From conception, every human being has rights which are distinct from the mother’s, even when still in the womb. When women state “my body, my choice” with regards to pregnancy, they are effectively aiming to stop their rights being taken away, while simultaneously dismissing the rights of the preborn baby.

One adult cannot just decide to attack another person just because they feel that, since it is their body, they can do anything they want with it. If their actions hurt others, then it is not acceptable behaviour in any society, even more so if the chosen action ends the life of the other human being. The same holds true if the other human being is still in the womb!

The phrase “my body, my choice” may be a shout for empowerment, but it completely ignores the other people in the equation. The baby within the body is a unique person who also needs to be taken into consideration. Just as the girl or woman experiencing a crisis pregnancy must be cared for and supported in every way, so must the baby inside her body be protected from all life-threatening choices.

You cannot fight for your right to choose what to do with your body, while effectively denying the most fundamental right—the right to life—to another human being!

Part 4 of 4: Is It Alright—if the Baby is Disabled?

Is It Alright—if the Baby is Disabled?

And finally, we turn to the last scenario. Finding out that the baby she is carrying is disabled is surely a heartbreaking experience for any woman. What should she do in such a situation?

She might feel she would be incompetent to care for a disabled child—or even be unwilling to do it. She may want to spare her child a lifetime of possible heartache, lost opportunities, discrimination, and disadvantage. She might feel that her child would not live a normal life, so why give it to him or her?

But what if the son or daughter that she already has—and who was born without disability—has an accident and becomes a paraplegic? Or suffers a debilitating disease? What would the mother do?

Would she eliminate their existence to spare them from a future life with infirmity?

There are many women in the world who choose to continue with their pregnancy, despite knowing that the baby in their womb has some form of disability or condition. Many of these mothers are pressurised to terminate their pregnancy, but there is no evidence that suggests that doing so is the best option.

The parents may think it would be a better choice for the baby, but in reality, they are more likely to suffer from depression and loss as a result. Some women have even gone on to deliver healthy babies, meaning that there was a misdiagnosis during the pregnancy. And others brought their special babies into this world and gave them as much love as they could, even if it was only for a little while.

This was the reality for 26-year-old Katyia Rowe!

Surprised by her unexpected pregnancy, Katyia and her partner were nevertheless thrilled to discover they were going to be parents. They then received the devastating news that their son had severe brain abnormalities and would never be able to walk or talk. Doctors advised them to consider terminating. But Katyia would not hear of it.

Instead, she read up on her baby’s condition and began preparing herself on the best way to care for him after birth. When more scans were carried out to investigate further, Katyia’s decision was cemented by what she saw on the ultrasound. Her baby boy was smiling, blowing bubbles, and waving his arms. Katyia declared:

“When I saw him smiling and playing inside me, I knew I couldn’t end his life. If he could smile and play and feel, then despite his disabilities, he deserved to enjoy whatever life he had left, no matter how short.”

Despite his disabilities, baby Lucian was very active in the womb.

Every kick, every wriggle, every movement was treasured by Katyia and her partner, who were determined to enjoy every moment they had with their baby.

“He may not have been born but he was already our son and I took each movement as a sign we had done the right thing,” said Katyia.

Sadly, when baby Lucian was born, he only lived for nine hours. And yet, in spite of his short life, his mother had no regrets whatsoever. She made sure he enjoyed his life while inside the womb, instead of taking it away from him. And once born, she was able to hold him and give him cuddles, claiming lovingly: “Just because his life would be shorter or different, didn’t mean he didn’t deserve to experience it.”

And what if the prenatal diagnosis is wrong?

When 24-year-old Gemma Rogers went for a scan at 20 weeks’ pregnancy, doctors told the couple that the baby had spina bifida. They were urged to opt for abortion, because the baby would have no quality of life. He would be born paralysed and incontinent and would never be able to look after himself properly. The doctors told his parents he would be a burden.

Gemma and her partner did not even want to entertain the idea of terminating. This turned out to be the best decision they ever made. When Ciaran was born, Gemma immediately knew the doctors had been wrong.

If Gemma had opted for an abortion, she would have deprived a healthy child of his very life.

Apart from having no problems with his health when he was born, Ciaran went on to grow and develop in the same way as children of the same age. Gemma was deeply troubled by the warnings she had received from her doctors. She said:

“A mother’s instinct is always right and I knew from the moment I was told he would be disabled that I didn’t want to give up hope on my son. I’m so glad I didn’t because he is perfect in every way.”

Even if a diagnosis is correct and a baby is born disabled, no one has the right to decide whether or not they deserve to live, no matter how severe the situation is. A life is not measured by a person’s abilities or disabilities, or by their personal health condition.

Whatever the case, life is always to be valued!

Most people with disabilities say that they would much rather be alive, as opposed to being disposed of in the womb. Aborting people because they are disabled implies that their lives are less worthy than others.

It is deeply mistaken to assume that the life of a disabled person is not worth living. Anyone with a disability can still have a full and happy life. They may need other people’s help, and caring for them might not be easy. And yet, numerous families and caregivers emphasise that looking after the person in their care is hugely rewarding and enriches their lives immensely.

Society abhors any form of discrimination towards disabled people.

This should also apply to people who are still to be born. Just because it is found in the womb does not mean that an embryo should not deserve the chance to live. No one looks at their disabled loved one and decides they need to be put down. The disabled baby in the womb surely merits that same consideration.

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**Conclusion: So, No—it is Never Alright!**

Apart from being fatal for the baby, abortion in itself is often a traumatic experience for the mother. It may also be extremely risky for her, with lasting psychological and physical side effects. Resorting to it as a way of trying to eradicate other problems will only serve to make the situation worse. Bad circumstances are rarely solved by equally bad decisions.

And let us not forget the most important person in this discussion: the baby!

Today’s society strongly advocates the rights that humans should enjoy universally. Many will claim that a woman who is denied access to have a termination is being robbed of her human rights.

But then, does the innocent baby—a human being just like everyone else—not have rights at all? Does it not have the right to have a chance to live, no matter the circumstances surrounding its young life?

Is it any less human just because it is unwanted?

Even when it is not fully developed, when it doesn’t even resemble the shape of a human being—even when it is unwanted—it is still alive, and it is still human. And it still deserves the chance to live, to be born, to grow, to play, to laugh, to love, and be loved.