Why I am Pro-Life
The issue of abortion hits too close to home. When I was younger, I was pro-choice. I thought women should have the choice to abort a pregnancy under certain medical circumstances or social circumstances. You know the same old rigamarole people spout about the health of the mother, rape, etc.
I was idealistic and thought it would never affect me. My first pregnancy came and went with out a problem. My oldest daughter was perfectly healthy and all of her screenings were negative. When I became pregnant with my second daughter I went in for developmental screenings at 12 weeks. They were done by ultrasound and I wasn’t worried. Why should I be? My first baby was fine.
The call came a few days later that the thickness of my daughters neck could indicate Downe’s Syndrome. I didn’t want anymore tests. I didn’t care. My ex pushed for the genetic testing. He said he wanted to know. That he couldn’t handle a special needs child. He pushed on using my other daughter as leverage. “It wouldn’t be fair to her to have a sibling with special needs” blah blah blah.
I was devesated. For two weeks while I waited for the test results I tried to figure out what I would do if they were positive. Where would I go? Who would help me? How could I handle two little ones, 2 years apart, especially if one had special needs? My only other option was to stay and have an abortion and I wasn’t doing that. I already decided that was out of the question. Finally I did what I should have in the beginning and gave it up to God.
My younger daughter still has some special needs but she doesn’t have Downes. Nothing was revealed on the genetic screening so I stayed with my ex a while longer. I think that was a big wake-up call for me and where his priorities lay. It still took time to get out of his control. Today the girls and I are mostly through with him.
Looking back the whole situation was ridiculous. When I was faced with the choice there was no way in Hell I would ever harm my baby. And after having my ex try to manipulate and guilt me into an abortion I don’t think anyone should have that much control over another person’s life.
Everyone has a choice. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You have a choice whether or not to have sex. You have several options for birth control. In more extreme cases you have a choice of adopting the baby out. The one person in the whole equation who doesn’t have any say is the baby.
R. Tran Books 