Human life begins at the moment of conception; this is a scientific fact.  Twenty-three chromosomes respectively from the mother and father unite in this moment to create a new being with 46 chromosomes, with unique characteristics and an unrepeatable history in humanity.

My three pregnancies have been very hard on me.  Not only did my body change dramatically, my whole being changed, too.  I don’t think or feel the same way about anything in life anymore.  Pregnancy is a complex process that involves the mother and all her surrounding system.  I think it’s the biggest labor of giving and donation that exists because you give of your own body, your own blood to feed and shelter in your womb another human being that will always be your child.

It’s not new that the West finds itself divided on the topic of pregnancy and life.  The position in favor of abortion, also known as Pro-Choice, affirms that a woman is the only one who can exclusively do anything she wants with her body.  This reaches its maximum expression when a woman is capable of getting rid of her child through an abortion because of her own decision.  That’s what they call “empowerment” of women.  Many times the arguments used sound so “reasonable,” that if we don’t have real information… scientific information and faith… we are left without words and, in some cases, doubt can set in about whether or not abortion in some circumstances is the best option for a woman.  

This gallery presents us with some facts that refute pro-choice ideas and helps clarify that we all have the right to life, including a baby growing in his or her mother’s womb.  I hope this helps, and if you’re not clear on something, feel free to post a comment.

1. The body of an embryo is not the mother’s body.     

© Amy / Flickr

The embryo’s body is completely different to that of his or her mother’s.  It is made up of unique genetics and is unrepeatable from the first moment of its conception, when all of the embryo’s characteristics have been defined.

2. Abortion “therapy” doesn’t cure.

© Amy / Flickr

Therapy means cure, but abortion doesn’t cure anything.  There are very high-risk pregnancies, this is true.  But technology has advanced so much that it is possible to take the necessary precautions to save both lives.  In trying to save both lives, it can regrettably happen that one of the lives is lost.  This is something we can’t control, but we don’t have the right to decide which life is saved and which isn’t.  There are thousands of testimonies of mothers who refuse treatments that can affect their pregnancy.  A mother won’t be healed by killing her baby.  The same would be true if the tables were reversed, killing the mother would not heal the baby.

At 1 cm in size / 8 weeks, the baby’s heart, brain, legs and arms have developed.  The baby makes its first attempt to touch his or her face.

3. An abortion after rape adds to the pain and the tragedy of the initial act.

© Amy / Flickr

Rape is a horrible aggression.  If a pregnancy is the product of rape, getting rid of the conceived child will not ameliorate the pain or trauma.  On the contrary, an abortion only generates more damage because the woman is going against everything in her being.  Post-abortion syndrome exists and makes this situation worse.    

Eliminating a child is not a just solution to an act of violence.  There are a number of testimonies of women who choose to continue a pregnancy that was the result of rape that prove it is a process of reconciliation and love.  

At 5 cm / 10 weeks, the baby has a unique set of fingerprints that identify him or her forever.  

4. Eliminating a child with disabilities does not stop the pain.

© Felipe Fernandes / Flickr

A eugenic abortion, or an abortion based on a child’s physical condition doesn’t end the pain for the parents or the child.  It’s demonstrated scientifically that the desire to live, the attitude towards the future and the vulnerability towards frustration are the same in people with disabilities as those without disabilities.  There is no difference between one person or another in the desire to live.  Terminating a pregnancy because a child has a disability contributes to the “throw-away” culture.  It means making an object out of a human being where it seems some are more valuable than others.

5. Only desired children should come into this world.

© Amy / Flickr

This argument is weakened due to the fact that feelings are volatile.  How do you know you won’t desire this baby in the later stages of your pregnancy?  What you feel today may change tomorrow.  It’s impossible to know the future.  Much less the future of our feelings.  Comparing a life, the life of your child, with feelings is absurd.

A 14-week-old baby can already feel pain.  It can avoid needles.  The baby’s nervous system is formed and the brain receives signals that allow it to understand that something hurts.  

Related content:

A Pro-Life Litany For Respect Life Month (And Every Month) Can’t Go To The March For Life? 6 Things You Can Do To Stand For Life From Home How Does Abortion Look Through The Eyes Of A Child? Touching Responses So You Think You’re Pro-Life? 9 Surprising Ways To Make Sure! What I Wish Nicki Minaj (and others) Knew About Abortion “I killed a human being.” – A Mother Reflects On Her Abortion See That Tiny Hand? Meet Walter, Born At 19 Weeks, He Lived A Beautiful, Yet Brief, Life. To Be Born: A Letter From An Aborted Child The Miracle of Life: Answering One Question With Two Others