God created your baby with a purpose – a purpose that is unique to him or her alone! That plan doesn’t end with simply being born – your baby’s life is just the beginning of new generations of people who will be impacted by your choice.
You may be uncertain how you feel at this point, but the Lord is very clear in the Bible about the value of each life. He knew that this child was growing in your womb – even before you did!
Just read what it says in the Psalms:
“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God – you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; you know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” (Psalm 139:13-16, The Message)
God loves your baby in the very same way that He loves you.
Did you know?
- At the moment of conception, your baby’s gender, hair and eye color were already determined.
- Your baby’s heart began to beat just 21 days after conception.
- One week later, the basic structure for his or her brain and spinal cord had already formed.
- Just six weeks after conception, elbows and fingers take shape.
- Tooth buds for baby teeth are growing and your baby’s eyelids begin to form.
Today, you can make a choice that affirms your life and the life of your baby.
What does God say about abortion?
Right now you may be considering abortion. You may feel like there’s no possible way to have this baby – and there’s no denying that there will be challenges.
Although abortion may seem like the best solution, we encourage you to see beyond the emotions and pressures you are feeling right now and think carefully about the new life inside you.
- “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
- “And God spoke all these words: […] “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:1,13 )
- “I have set before you life and death […] Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Shouldn’t a woman have control over her own body?
Our world says, “It’s your body – your choice! You have the right to have an abortion.” The truth is, just because something is legal does not necessarily mean that it’s right.
The child growing inside you is a separate, unique life, with its own DNA and heartbeat. Do you really have the “right” to decide his or her future?
- “For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me.” (Ezekiel 18:4)
- “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Are there any risks or complications following an abortion?
Abortion is an invasive procedure that can damage reproductive organs and also cause infections and long-term problems that can put future pregnancies at risk. Women who have had an abortion are more likely to experience ectopic pregnancies, infertility, miscarriages and premature births than women who have not had abortions. (Thomas Strahan, Detrimental Effects of Abortion, Springfield, IL: Acorn Books, 2002, p. 168-206.)
How does abortion affect intimate relationships?
According to Dr. Priscilla Coleman, a college professor of Human Development and Family Studies, abortion impacts relationships in a number of ways:
- 10-20 percent of women experience sexual problems in the early months after an abortion and 5-20 percent of women report sexual difficulties a year later.
- 20-30 percent of women report psychological difficulties after an abortion, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, sleep disturbances and substance use or abuse.
(Priscilla K. Coleman, Ph.D., “Does abortion hurt intimate relationships?” www.wecareexperts.org; 2008.)
Abortion can impact your future health and relationships.
Wouldn’t an abortion let me just get on with my life?
Here’s the reality: life will never be the same for you, whether you have an abortion or choose to carry your baby to term. But each choice has an impact on you.
One choice is life-giving, whether you choose to parent or to place your baby with an adoptive family. The other choice takes a life and—some women say— takes a part of your own soul with it.
There are now two lives, and two stories, involved in the decisions you make.
If you need further guidance and encouragement, Focus on the Family has a staff of licensed, professional Christian counselors available to talk with you at no charge. Just call 800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
