Sweet friends, it’s interesting to me that abortion has become a women’s health issue and also called women’s reproductive health.  I know it’s a BIG issue and a dividing issue at that.  Many are saying we are headed in a direction that will take us back to pre-abortion days.  Those days when surgical abortions were done in back allies and often by the unqualified.  Some want to make this a federal/national issue and others want states to determine based on what their people want.  The fact is that right now, the majority of people/states in our country have laws on their books that support chemical and surgical abortions.

I’ve been doing some personal research and would love to share with you what I’ve learned and have been reasoning through.  Yes, when it comes to such divisive issues it’s important to reason using facts.  I visited the CDC, Mayo Clinic, Planned Parenthood, and a variety of news outlets researching stats and information.

As I researched, I went to good old Merriam-Webster to check definitions just so I made sure I understood the terminology and could better reason through the facts and information I was gleaning.  Here’s what I learned:

• Health = the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit.

• Pregnancy = containing a developing embryo, fetus, or unborn offspring within the body.

• Miscarriage = spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus before it is viable especially between the 12th and 28th weeks of gestation.

• Abortion = induced expulsion of a human fetus.

• Conception = the process of becoming pregnant involving fertilization or implantation or both

• Embryo = the developing human individual from the time of implantation to the end of the eighth week after conception

• Fetus = a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth

• Fertilized/Fertilization = the process of union of two gametes whereby the somatic chromosome number is restored and the development of a new individual is initiated.

• Gametes = a mature male or female germ cell usually possessing a haploid chromosome set and capable of initiating formation of a new diploid individual by fusion with a gamete of the opposite sex.

• Unborn offspring = the product of the reproductive processes of a person; the immediate descendant of a person.

• Special note:  A baby’s sex is determined at conception when the sperm fertilizes the egg with either a X (female) or Y (male) chromosome. The baby’s sex is fixed at conception and doesn’t change as the pregnancy progresses. Visually, you can see the baby’s sex using ultrasound as early as 10 – 12 weeks. DNA testing can detect it earlier, at 6 – 9 weeks. And even earlier on day 5 of embryo testing.

I found the definitions really helpful as I reasoned through the below facts. I hope you will too.

Did you know that the majority of abortions today are performed not using a surgical procedure but rather performed by using medicine (chemical abortion)?  Therefore, to say that we are going back to the days of back room surgical abortions is really stretching the truth.

The chemical is called Misoprostol.  Also known as the “abortion pill.”  It’s legal in the majority of states, a few more states have some gestation restrictions, and the remaining states have banned the abortion pill.  It can be prescribed and purchased online and is also free under certain situations.  Planned Parenthood explains the process this way:  “You will take 3-4 doses of misoprostol. Misoprostol causes cramping and bleeding that empties your uterus. The pregnancy tissue will come out…— it’s like having an early miscarriage or a really heavy period.”

I thought it interesting the term “pregnancy tissue” was used but in further exploring and going to good old Merriam-Webster, I had a better understanding of why they chose this terminology as it covers a variety of gestation periods (containing a developing embryo, fetus, or unborn offspring within the body).  There can be side effects (a/k/a health issues) and can impact a woman’s reproductive health.

Did you know there is also a Plan B pill?  Also called the morning-after pill but can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex.  It’s legal in all states.  It can also be purchased online, sometimes free, and usually no ID is required.  It works by chemically preventing a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus by altering the uterine lining. There can be side effects resulting in women’s health issues.  Based on the above definitions, a baby’s sex is determined at conception when the sperm fertilizes the egg. There can be side effects (a/k/a health issue).

Did you know that a surgical abortion uses surgical tools to remove the “pregnancy tissue (a developing embryo, fetus, or unborn offspring)?”  As with any surgical procedure, there can be side effects (a/k/a health issues) and can impact women’s reproductive health.

Did you know about half of all U.S. women having an abortion have had one previously?

In doing my research, I’ve determined that abortion isn’t about women’s health at all.  Reproductive or otherwise.  That’s what we’ve been told, but I’ve determined it’s a lie.  I’ve determined it’s a marketing ploy to make the elimination of “pregnancy tissue” palatable.  Thus, in my opinion, abortion is being sold as birth control when in reality abortion is expulsion or elimination of “pregnancy tissue.”  Let me say it using the above definitions.

At any stage, using any method, abortion is the elimination or expulsion of a developing male or female human (pregnancy tissue).

It’s important for each one of us to make informed decisions about what we believe and why.  Knowing all of this, I don’t want women having abortions because it’s not healthy on any level.  Body, mind, or spirit.  The fact that abortion is the elimination or expulsion of a developing male or female human being is a great tragedy.  Almost 60 million males and females have been reported eliminated.

But the most important reason I don’t want women having abortions (eliminating humans) is a definition found in God’s Word.

King David had the most amazing relationship with the Lord God.  The Psalms reveal this relationship.  He knew things about God I’m learning, wanting, and marveling at!  He shares a breathtaking fact about God and each one of us in Psalm 139.  Originally written in Hebrew, I’m going to quote from a word-for-word translation.  That means each word in this Psalm written in Hebrew is then translated into English. 

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb…. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance (embryo, fetus).”  Psalm 139:12, 16(a)

Did you see the words unformed substance?  In Hebrew, it means embryo or fetus.  We humans take credit for a number of things.  When it comes to reproductive rights, I think we have wrongly assumed our body, our choice.  Maybe it’s because we’ve taken what God says and thinks out of the equation.  Maybe we just never knew what God had to say. Or we never took the time to ask or reason for ourselves.  It could be abortion is available thus an easy and convenient choice to an inconvenience.  For some, the fear of what it means to be pregnant, give birth, and raise a human is greater than reasoning through any alternative. Fear is real. For others, there could be body and mind health issues producing hopelessness and override considering other options

I know this is a complicated, complex, and confusing issue.  I am not without compassion. But when I take time to reason through the facts, take what I learn to God’s Word, and ask what God has to say about this and a multitude of other complicated, complex, and confusing issues, I must yield to His Word.

The Lord God Almighty created me and you.  He formed us in our mother’s wombs.  You know, Psalm 139 also says He is intimately acquainted with all our ways; He knows everything about us and that His precious thoughts toward us outnumber the grains of sand on all the seashores. How can we possibly take God out of the equation when making critical decisions?

If we truly understood that each embryo is a gift from God we would not only cherish that pregnancy tissue but we’d also respect and honor each other as humans. 

God creates humans so of course He values life. So much so that He sent Jesus to die in our place so we might live forever with Him. Beware, there are liars among us and their voices are loud.  Please, make no mistake, they seek to kill and destroy our lives (for the Bible tells me so). Let us not be the ones that kill and destroy life. Look, we’ve all believed lies and acted on those lies. But there is forgiveness for all things found and new life given at the cross.

Sweet friends, we don’t have to be loud we just need to know why we believe what we believe and share lovingly and graciously when we can. We can show compassion with those who are are facing this complicated, complex and often confusing issue. We can pray, encourage, speak the truth in love, and point people to Jesus and the Word of truth.