Your First Nine Months!
In the first nine months of your biography, you hit major milestones. The road to fertilisation that resulted in your life is a bumpy one. We know the science and can only wonder at the miracle of egg and sperm successfully implanting and conceiving. And then the miracles don’t stop. From the 1st day of conception, cells begin to multiply and burrow into the wall of the womb. The sex of the fetus is already determined. After 15 days the heart and eyes are developing. In just 20 days the brain, spinal cord and nervous system are laid and the heart begins to pulse at around 24 days. The heart is one of the earliest differentiated and functioning organs.
By 12 weeks the baby can kick, curl toes, make a fist, move their thumbs, bend their wrists, turn their head open their mouth and press their lips together, practice breathing has begun. At 13 weeks the sex organs are apparent. At 4-5 months there is movement sensed by mum. Mum’s voice is recognised now and the baby’s weight increases to a cramped stage. At approximately 9 months, labour is triggered and birth occurs. We know that with the advance of medicine and science babies can survive premature birth, the earliest registered survivor was at 21 weeks and 2 days.
It’s always good to revisit and think about the milestones of early life. We know for some, things don’t always go as planned, however, we are grateful for the medical assistance that works tirelessly to reduce the health complications for premature babies.
When reflecting on these miracles of development, we cannot then ever understand the celebration and normalisation of abortion. You and I are a miracle. I would say a divine miracle made with love and purpose. No one would deny that the circumstances of the conception can impact the mental and emotional state of the mother and father. A woman in difficult circumstances deserves our compassion, care and support. She should be offered comprehensive healthcare and affirmation, before an option of termination. But so does the life of a baby that has a beating heart before most women know they are pregnant. An unborn baby deserves comprehensive healthcare too.
If wombs had windows and we could watch the developing baby every day, I know there would be fewer abortions. There are women I’ve spoken to, who after seeing their first scan, felt they could not terminate their pregnancy. Terminating a life is a fearful thing.
So while millions are spent to care for the ‘wanted’ premature babies, others are choosing to terminate their ‘unwanted’ pregnancy at the same stage of development. This is why there is a strong movement around the world to pressure Governments to roll back their brutal abortion laws. Surely, a heartbeat is a life sign that can’t be denied.
You can read more about late-term abortions on Dr Joanna Howe’s website. The facts are too gruesome to address here. Whether early or late, a beating heart is sacred and should be protected. There are birds and animals that have better protection laws than unborn babies!
Whatever the circumstances of your birth, you are a miracle. The love and purpose with which you were first born in the mind of God and then birthed to the world is astounding, marvellous and spectacular. Knowing our personhood and identity began with God is the greatest knowledge we can ever establish a life on.