Premature Birth Kills

[Loren_1of6]

This is the proclamation on a billboard I see fairly regularly. It is followed by the injunction to “Help give all babies a full nine months.” It is paid for by the March of Dimes.

Several things about this bother me. 1) Billboard companies refuse to post signs declaring that abortion kills, but will post one that says that premature birth causes death. 2) If we follow their reasoning, birth would be the number one cause of death in the world.

Everyone who is born will die, period. There is no escaping it. Premature babies have so many more obstacles to overcome than full-term babies, but not every premature baby will die as a direct result of being born early. As a matter of fact, these days most premature babies have every reason to grow up to become active members of society.

This billboard just rubs me the wrong way and I was hoping that someone here would share my distress.

 

[tamccrackine]

I’d like to put my pic up there just to prove them wrong using one picture… I was supposed to be a St. Patrick’s Day baby, turns out I had other plans and I’m a New Year’s Baby. I’m not brain damaged (don’t ask my parents or husband to agree with that to some extent ) but I have no abnormalities aside from being shorter than most everyone in my family. I was 3 lb’s 11.5 oz at birth which is considered a VERY healthy weight for premies nowadays (back then it wasn’t and they honestly thought I was going to die- I was baptized less than 5 minutes after I was born- that’s how bad they thought I was (ok, that sounds wrong ))

That’s an absurd billboard…

 

[oldfogey]

Doesn’t the March of Dimes also procure abortions when it decides the baby doesn’t deserve a full nine months?

 

[Jennifer123]

oldfogey:

Doesn’t the March of Dimes also procure abortions when it decides the baby doesn’t deserve a full nine months?

This is why I stopped giving money to MOD. I’m pretty sure that if you did a search of “March of Dimes” you’d find threads that talk about this - many people have questions especially when charitable giving is almost required at some places of employment.

lifeissues.org/marchofdimes/

“Although the March of Dimes officially takes a neutral stance on abortion, their actions often portray a pro-abortion position. Most recently, they have attempted to hide a clearly established link between abortion and premature births. March of Dimes, whose motto is “Saving Babies, Together”, must be more vigilant in educating women who have had previous abortions of the need to receive adequate prenatal care during subsequent pregnancies. To read more about this issue, please click here.”

 

[Magster]

oldfogey:

Doesn’t the March of Dimes also procure abortions when it decides the baby doesn’t deserve a full nine months?

That’s my understanding too. Do you think there is any chance that the March of Dimes, as well as other organizations such as the local Children’s hospital in my area, will push the parent to abort when they feel that the birth defects the child might be born with will hurt their “statistics” - in other words, the more children born with birth defects that prevent the child from living a “normal” life will make them, as an organization, look bad?
Please don’t misunderstand me - I in no way would support such a reason (or any reason) for abortion. It just seems so ironic to be trying so hard to save children with one hand, while the other hand is aborting other children.

 

[Loren_1of6]

Magster:

It just seems so ironic to be trying so hard to save children with one hand, while the other hand is aborting other children.

Exactly. When we can get enough tests to detect all possible birth defects, we can abort those babies who test positive. We will wipe out birth defects by aborting all babies who might be defective.

It’s terribly sad.

 

[Arlene]

Well, MOD stance on abortion is a whole other issue, and for that reason I cannot support the MOD. HOWEVER, to say that prematurity is no longer a problem because of the miracles of medicine…did you ever have to push out a baby who was determined to come, knowing that as long as he stayed inside you he would be ok, but as soon as he can out he would die? Have you watched your baby gasp for breath because his lungs were not ready to breathe air? have you held a dead baby in your arms? Have you puchased a casket no bigger than a shoebox? Have you picked out a headstone with only one date on it?

I did.

Arlene

 

[Loren_1of6]

Arlene, I am sorry for your loss. I certainly do not mean to downplay the pain felt by you or by anyone else in your position. I know that premature babies do die, and the parents of those babies suffer terribly.

The statement on the billboard makes it seem like all babies born prematurely will die, while we know that many can be saved. We also have ways of stopping labor in some cases, giving babies that needed time in utero.

I just found the billboard misleading and questionable, especially in light of the abortion debate.

 

[Magster]

Arlene:

Well, MOD stance on abortion is a whole other issue, and for that reason I cannot support the MOD. HOWEVER, to say that prematurity is no longer a problem because of the miracles of medicine…did you ever have to push out a baby who was determined to come, knowing that as long as he stayed inside you he would be ok, but as soon as he can out he would die? Have you watched your baby gasp for breath because his lungs were not ready to breathe air? have you held a dead baby in your arms? Have you puchased a casket no bigger than a shoebox? Have you picked out a headstone with only one date on it?

I did.

Arlene

I cannot imagine your pain and will pray for your continued healing and that you will be reunited with your child in heaven someday.

I understand that premature births are a real problem and agree we should promote medical advancements that aim to ensure babies can be carried to term and insofar as MOD does that, they should be applauded. It just sickens me to know that the MOD also promotes abortion.

 

[Jennifer123]

Magster:

I cannot imagine your pain and will pray for your continued healing and that you will be reunited with your child in heaven someday.

Me and many others will pray for this too. Condolences.

I understand that premature births are a real problem and agree we should promote medical advancements that aim to ensure babies can be carried to term and insofar as MOD does that, they should be applauded. It just sickens me to know that the MOD also promotes abortion.

ITA. It just seems so cynical that they claim to search for a cure for premature birth, but yet ignore evidence showing a strong causal link. I find a lot about the widespread care of women’s health to be cynical in nature. These radical feminists seem to perpetuate the misogyny they claim to fight against.