Now Is the Time

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“Go home and pack a bag. Your baby won’t make it.”

That is the advice my mother received at multiple appointments during her fourth pregnancy.

“If the baby does make it, she won’t have a great quality of life. It’s advised that you terminate,” her doctor would add.

Thankfully, my parents chose not to listen.

Throughout this pregnancy, my mom was placed on bed rest starting at 9 weeks gestation due to health issues. Every single time she came into her doctor’s office during this pregnancy, this was the type of advice her medical professional team would give her – terminate.

That wasn’t going to do.

With three older children, she hunkered down to protect this precious little one as it grew. She stayed in bed day in and day out, had nurses come to our home, and even had my dad and grandfather adjust their work schedules so she could stay rested and healthy while her pregnancy continued.

Her doctor seemed confused, and even unhelpful at times.

But at 37 weeks, much to that doctor’s dismay, the little girl who had defied the odds was born perfectly healthy.

Twenty years later, she is thriving and the picture of health, talent, and southern charm.

Last week, I was reminded of my parents’ choice to choose life amid these odds and advice when I heard the story of YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife, Ashley, who shared a video of themselves reading their genetic test results and termination decision for their baby.

In March, the Ridgways excitedly announced their pregnancy to the world. In April, after genetic testing and a later amniocentesis, they were told that their baby had a higher chance of having Trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome.

On June 3, the couple announced to the world that due to these unfortunate results, they would abort their growing little boy – and it sent shockwaves across social media.

Many individuals, much like my parents, shared stories in response to this news, describing how they were told their little one wouldn't make it, but they did. Most commenters agreed that life was valuable and were so thankful they had chosen it. Some shared that their genetic testing was wrong and that years later, their child was thriving as an adult in the real world with no health issues. Meanwhile, parents of children with Down syndrome also posted beautiful images and stories of their babies and grown adult children in response to this public announcement.

However, this is not the only case in which an early diagnosis seems to prompt some parents to choose termination instead of a big, beautiful life for the little ones they have created.

Healthline shared the following global information regarding abortion and, in this case, Down Syndrome and how common the decision to abort is. Their research found:

“[N]early 100 percent of women in Iceland who receive a positive test for Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy.
Iceland isn’t alone in having high termination rates.
In Denmark, 98 percent of pregnancies with a Down syndrome diagnosis are terminated.
In France, it’s 77 percent, and in the United States it’s 67 percent.
In Iceland, the law permits abortions after 16 weeks if the fetus has a deformity.
As a result, only one or two babies with Down syndrome are now born each year in Iceland, which has a population of 330,000.”

These statistics are heartbreaking.

But I think that it is also a wake-up call.

Every day, babies are being murdered because some parents believe their child will not have the best possible life, based on a genetic test – that may be wrong.

In 2022, The New York Times reported that when it comes to some types of genetic testing (Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes, DiGeorge syndrome, Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, Cri-du-chat syndrome, and 1p36 deletion), “positive results on those tests are incorrect about 85 percent of the time.”

Meanwhile, a 2015 Columbia University article shared that while in the process of finding newer non-invasive types of DNA genetic testing:

The researchers found that the new test correctly identified more Down cases—with far fewer false positives—than standard screening that combines blood tests with an ultrasound exam. The DNA test identified all 38 cases of Down syndrome and produced only nine false positives (0.06 percent). Standard screening identified 30 of the 38 cases of Down syndrome and produced 854 false positives (5.4 percent).

In today’s culture, pre-birth diagnoses are becoming a death sentence to the unborn – even when they may not be correct.

As the church, I think this public reminder about life is important. Instead of sitting idle, we can use it as a reminder that we are called to be a voice for the voiceless and share the hope of the Bible with the many parents who are hopeless and have been fed the enemy’s lie for decades.

Life is valuable, regardless of any test, result, or diagnosis.

In a recent Facebook post, AFA’s social media team shared this regarding the Ridgway situation: “As Christians, we believe every human being is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth. Every child, regardless of ability, diagnosis, or circumstance, is a gift from God and deserving of love, protection, and life.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Now is the time to remind the culture of this truth, which we can do by joining the conversation about life and sharing facts about abortion and how it affects many.

Proverbs 31:8-9 also gives us a clear call that applies to this topic and many other cultural issues. It says:

Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all the unfortunate.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

There is no better time than now to stand up for these little lives.

Babies deserve the chance to live – no matter what.

For a few more ways to get involved, check out Students for Life, PreBorn, and Love Life. Also, stay tuned to American Family Radio for more pro-life news and opportunities to join in the fight for life.

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