Birth defects and abortion

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erikhnh

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Hi CAF users,

I have a touchy subject that I’d like some feedback on. I’m not sure where to find info about it.
Here goes, my sis in law (Assembly of God as is my wife and her parents) is 22 weeks pregnant and went in for some tests because she was considered high risk (not sure why, she’s only 33). The results of the ultrasound shows no brain in the baby, something about it not coming together on top. She has seen 5 genetic ‘specialists’ and 3 other doctors who all told her the best thing for her to do, if she wants to be able to have another baby, would be to induce and follow with a D&C. My first inclination, being staunchly pro-life, would say that is wrong, and mentioned that to my F-I-L (father in law) who is an AG pastor. Needless to say I was accused of trying to promote my “Catholic GUILT” and that I should be ashamed of myself. I have no problem being wrong as it seems to be a way of life for me :D, was just looking for info.

Thanks
 
The child is growing and developing in the womb. It is a living human being. It can not be aborted due to a birth defect.

This is a difficult thing to have to endure for the mother and the entire family - but she can not willfully take the life of another human being for any reason. That is the definition of murder.

😦 I will pray for this family and for this child.

~Liza
 
erikhnh said:
Hi CAF users,

I have a touchy subject that I’d like some feedback on. I’m not sure where to find info about it.
Here goes, my sis in law (Assembly of God as is my wife and her parents) is 22 weeks pregnant and went in for some tests because she was considered high risk (not sure why, she’s only 33). The results of the ultrasound shows no brain in the baby, something about it not coming together on top. She has seen 5 genetic ‘specialists’ and 3 other doctors who all told her the best thing for her to do, if she wants to be able to have another baby, would be to induce and follow with a D&C. My first inclination, being staunchly pro-life, would say that is wrong, and mentioned that to my F-I-L (father in law) who is an AG pastor. Needless to say I was accused of trying to promote my “Catholic GUILT” and that I should be ashamed of myself. I have no problem being wrong as it seems to be a way of life for me :D, was just looking for info.

Thanks
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I am not sure if I am reading this right. You say that the child has no brain? At all? Is it alive? Is there a heartbeat?

If the child has no brain and is dead, then removal of a deceased child isn’t an abortion. If the child is alive, however, it can’t be killed. Only if the child dies of natural causes in utero can the body be extracted.

This is a heart-breaking thing to hear about. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
 
My F-I-L stated, in no uncertain terms, that the baby is ‘not a complete human’ to quote him exactly. Therefore it’s ok to abort with no reservations. He agreed in every other instance; downs, limb missing, etc, that it is abortion, but not now. We had it out several times, but since I live here with them and am out of work, I had to let it go. My M-I-L has already gone to be with my wife’s sister for the ‘procedure’. I’ve been pretty sick thinking about it. The only thing I can really do is pray for grace and mercy
 
erikhnh said:
My F-I-L stated, in no uncertain terms, that the baby is ‘not a complete human’ to quote him exactly. Therefore it’s ok to abort with no reservations. He agreed in every other instance; downs, limb missing, etc, that it is abortion, but not now. We had it out several times, but since I live here with them and am out of work, I had to let it go. My M-I-L has already gone to be with my wife’s sister for the ‘procedure’. I’ve been pretty sick thinking about it. The only thing I can really do is pray for grace and mercy
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I am so very sorry to hear about this. In this case, you are right. If it is a birth defect and not a child who is already deceased, they are doing an injustice to the poor child. I always tell people to imagine that the child was already born. Would it be appropriate for someone to kill someone else because they lacked certain functions or had a disease? No. I don’t understand how a child being in the womb is any different than one now.

This is very, very, sad. 😦
 
AS far as I know, there has been a heartbeat all along, and there wasn’t any noted problems until the ultrasound. The baby was, apparently, growing normal. No matter what I said, I WAS WRONG, and they were right. I know that sounds childish, but it’s getting annoying.
My only interest was in the life of that baby, and I was accused of attacking the family.
 
erikhnh said:
AS far as I know, there has been a heartbeat all along, and there wasn’t any noted problems until the ultrasound. The baby was, apparently, growing normal. No matter what I said, I WAS WRONG, and they were right. I know that sounds childish, but it’s getting annoying.
My only interest was in the life of that baby, and I was accused of attacking the family.
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I come from a AG background. I was actually studying to be a pastor before I became catholic, so I understand how things can be when you are a catholic in an all AG situation. You can imagine what I faced (and still face) because of my conversion.

I don’t suppose it is any comfort, but the AG as a whole rejects abortion in the case you are giving. I don’t understand how they can justify it even as AG followers, since as I understand it, the organization is against abortion in almost all cases except to save the mother’s life.

It is OK to be frustrated with your inlaws. They are committing a terrible injustice. Your anger is allowed. Just make sure you keep a leash on it and don’t use harsh words. You are, after all, a representative of God’s church to them. Use your anger to pray for them, and suffer as Jesus did when he was accused for harassment by standing up for what is right. You weren’t attacking your family, you were trying to help. I am so, so, so, very sorry you are facing this.
 
It sound like you are describing anencephaly.

"Prognosis

There is no cure or standard treatment for anencephaly and the prognosis for patients is poor. Most anencephalic babies do not survive birth, accounting for 55% of non-aborted cases. If the infant is not stillborn, then he or she will usually die within a few hours or days after birth from cardiorespiratory arrest.

In almost all cases, anencephalic infants are not aggressively resuscitated since there is no chance of the infant ever achieving a conscious existence. Instead, the usual clinical practice is to offer hydration, nutrition and comfort measures and to “let nature take its course”. Artificial ventilation, surgery (to fix any co-existing congenital defects), and drug therapy (such as antibiotics) are usually regarded as futile efforts. Clinicians and medical ethicists[who?] may view the provision of nutrition and hydration as medically futile."
 
Until the baby is born and examined, no one really knows the prognosis. You can think you know, but …

A few ago there was one of those “feel good” stories in Readers Digest about a baby that was diagnosed with anencephaly because the head was filled with fluid. They put a shunt in and dismissed the baby to go home and die. Basically, the fluid drained, the brain had been compressed by the fluid and expanded back as the fluid drained, and the baby was “fine”.

Why kill your baby when you will give them every chance at survival if you just wait a few months?
 
I am sorry for the position you are in. If the baby has a heartbeat, we are talking about a living person. To abort would be willingly taking a life. If the baby has a poor prognosis for surviving after birth, the only thing I would provide for is Baptism at the time of the baby’s birth.

Prayers for all of your family, especially for the child, and for a change of heart for those who feel that an abortion is an acceptable choice.

God bless,
Linda
 
if the baby has no developing brain, then i would question if the baby is alive at all

best to consult the bishop’s office of your diocese about this. truth is, we can all give opinions here that differ but its better to consult an expert on the matter. i think its an issue if the fetus does not have a developing brain at all. mind you that a heartbeat isn’t a sole indicator of life. the function of the organs could be sustained by the mother but otherwise there’s realy no life in there. to get an authoritative answer, go to the bishop’s office and provide all the medical facts. they can best determine if given the facts that there is life in the womb or not
 
erikhnh said:
AS far as I know, there has been a heartbeat all along, and there wasn’t any noted problems until the ultrasound. The baby was, apparently, growing normal. No matter what I said, I WAS WRONG, and they were right. I know that sounds childish, but it’s getting annoying.
My only interest was in the life of that baby, and I was accused of attacking the family.
Click to expand...
There are numerous instances in which women have been told their baby was ‘certainly’ going to die, or that the had a dire birth defect, etc, as detected on ultrasound and counseled to abort only to go on to have a perfectly normal baby.
 
erikhnh said:
My F-I-L stated, in no uncertain terms, that the baby is ‘not a complete human’ to quote him exactly. Therefore it’s ok to abort with no reservations. He agreed in every other instance; downs, limb missing, etc, that it is abortion, but not now. We had it out several times, but since I live here with them and am out of work, I had to let it go. My M-I-L has already gone to be with my wife’s sister for the ‘procedure’. I’ve been pretty sick thinking about it. The only thing I can really do is pray for grace and mercy
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If I were in your situation I would be sure to be there when whatever happens so I could baptize the baby.
No matter what be sure the baby gets baptized.
 
babyfaithhope.blogspot.com/

There are quite a range of support groups and online communites dedicated to supporting women and parents who are given this diagnosis.

Has your SIL been referred to a pre-natal hospice?

There are support services out there. If the child has a heart beat, then they are alive. Anaecephly comes in various forms and degrees, there is usually “some” brain, and in some cases an entire brain, just no skull.

It’s a tragedy indeed, and my prayers are with the family, but killing that child is still immoral and a grave evil.
 
erikhnh said:
Hi CAF users,

I have a touchy subject that I’d like some feedback on. I’m not sure where to find info about it.
Here goes, my sis in law (Assembly of God as is my wife and her parents) is 22 weeks pregnant and went in for some tests because she was considered high risk (not sure why, she’s only 33). The results of the ultrasound shows no brain in the baby, something about it not coming together on top. She has seen 5 genetic ‘specialists’ and 3 other doctors who all told her the best thing for her to do, if she wants to be able to have another baby, would be to induce and follow with a D&C. My first inclination, being staunchly pro-life, would say that is wrong, and mentioned that to my F-I-L (father in law) who is an AG pastor. Needless to say I was accused of trying to promote my “Catholic GUILT” and that I should be ashamed of myself. I have no problem being wrong as it seems to be a way of life for me :D, was just looking for info.

Thanks
Click to expand...
You are not wrong. Snuffing out an innocent human life before God’s will permits its natural demise is not the right thing to do.
 
Sad to say, my voice was turned into the ugly Catholic guilt inflicting one and they we through the ‘procedure’. I just need to keep reminding myself that God is bigger than I am, and to just pray.
Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut, I really appreciated it.

God Bless, Erik
 
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