As Christians, we believe life starts at conception, which is the cornerstone of our pro-life beliefs, but as women, could our reluctance to talk about miscarriages actually be hindering the pro-life movement?
I am a mom of two boys and I totally understand the fear that comes from early pregnancy. There is that fear which always seems to be lurking in the shadows of our minds. This fear comes from the fact that we are afraid to love this little life too much just yet for fear that it will end in miscarriage — and heartbreak. This is one of the reasons why we wait until after the first trimester to begin telling family.
Once the risk has gone down.
Even for those women who do experience a miscarriage, it isn’t something that they talk about. We suffer in silence, sharing our grief only with our immediate families. It is only when someone we know suffers a miscarriage that we talk about our own losses.
Here’s the thing, those of us who are pro-life feel that abortion is wrong, whether it is in the first trimester or third trimester. However, one of the talking points of the pro-choice movement is that a seven, nine, or twelve week old fetus is only a bunch of tissue and not really a baby. I, for one, have seen ultrasounds of both of my boys at eight weeks and I can absolutely tell you that it was a baby.
So the question I am posing is this: If a twelve week old fetus is worth saving from abortion, then shouldn’t a child lost at twelve weeks gestation’s life also be celebrated? We need to embrace the fact that no matter how small, even life needs to be celebrated — and mourned if needed.
We need to stop treating miscarriages as if they are something to be ashamed of. After all, if we don’t treat it as a life, then how can we expect anyone else to?
So, let’s celebrate all babies’ lives, whether born or unborn, and show the world that ever life (no matter how small) matters!
