Late Term Abortion and What It Really Means
We’ve seen the Pro-Life Rallies. We’ve seen the Women’s Marches. We’ve heard the arguments from both sides, but how do we know who to believe? Some doctors will say one thing, but they could be saying it out of bias for what they believe in, and politicians are constantly fighting for the moral side of abortion without ever really listening to science. So, how do you choose who to believe without being judged for hating it or wanting it?
In late January, the Trump administration attempted to pass a bill stating that all abortions after 20 weeks would be illegal. Period. End of story. Luckily, it was denied. Why luckily? Well, contrary to some beliefs, those who get abortions after 20 weeks are rarely doing it out of “convenience.”
The Guardian recently shared three heartbreaking stories of women who were faced with the option of a late stage abortion. All three were overjoyed that they were pregnant, and all three were devastated when they delivered their lifeless children. Because of the proposal of this recent bill, these women came out with their stories that they had hid for so long, so that they could raise awareness for other like them.
Kate Carson - via KAYANA SZYMCZAK
Kate Carson delivered her lifeless baby after five months. Laurel had Dandy- Walker syndrome and wasn’t expected to live much longer after birth. If she did, she would be extremely uncomfortable and never be able to walk, talk, or swallow. Kate and her husband decided then that they would have to spend the $20,000 to get the abortion, but they were scared of what everyone else would say. Their family was supportive, but it was a secret that they’d keep for years. Kate had to undergo extremely painful labor to bring into the world a child that would never enjoy it. It was heartbreaking for her, and surely not done out of convenience.
Lindsey Paradiso - via The Daily Beast
Lindsey Paradiso surprised her husband with the positive pregnancy test when she found out about Omara Rose. It was a high-risk pregnancy, but Lindsey couldn’t wait to meet her daughter. When the couple found out that Omara had lymphangioma, they were heartbroken, but still optimistic. Then the doctor told them that the cysts in Omara’s brain were so severe that they were pushing her tongue out of her mouth. She wouldn’t survive birth. Lindsey and her husband had to make the tough decision to end the pregnancy now rather than let their daughter suffer much longer. Lindsey had to endure 40 hours of painful labor to bring her daughter into the world. And she couldn’t even return home with her.
Darla Barar - via Scary Mommy
Darla Barar was faced with a more pressing issue. After difficulty conceiving, Darla was expecting twin girls, Olivia and Cate. Darla and her husband got ready to come home from the hospital one day a family of four. They then discovered that Cate had a mix of very rare deformities and her amniotic sac was growing and restricting her sister's. It was either birth one dead baby or two. So, they made that hard decision. Darla then had to carry to term her two children, knowing that one of them was lifeless.
Mothers who need to get abortions past 20 weeks almost never want to do it. These are not the mothers who were lazy and are just getting around to killing their babies. At five months, that baby is a part of the mother, and anyone choosing to terminate the pregnancy is not choosing with a light conscience.
What most people don’t know is that late stage abortion is dangerous, expensive, and very painful. A mother is faced with the possibility of never having children again as well as the same delivery process she would have to do if she carried her baby to term. A pregnancy past 20 weeks means delivering a baby no matter what. A mother faced with the possibility of a late stage abortion then has to somehow scrounge up the thousands of dollars it takes to kill the baby they have grown to love. She is then faced with the psychological damage and judgement from society, always questioning if she made the right decision.
Cover image via Life Site
Disclaimer: I got my information from The Guardian and NBC.