The highest abortion rate that was ever recorded in the U.S. occurred in 1990, with a total estimate of about 1,429,247 abortions. However, the rates dropped down to over 765,000 recorded abortions in 2010. The rates continued to decline by five percent from 2013-2022. Unfortunately, the rates started to increase from there at about eighty-six percent through 2022-2024, with an estimate of about 1,141,830 abortions.
Many women today struggle with the thought of raising a child in the troubles that they may be going through. It could be because of financial struggles, an abusive relationship, or even just because they don’t want to have to shoulder the responsibilities of caring for a child. In some cases, the mother of the child is very sick and giving birth to her child might be fatal. Or maybe the child will be born with a birth defect, and the mother does not want the baby to have to live with that defect, or the mother just doesn’t want to deal with a child that has a birth defect.
There are so many thoughts that could be running through any woman’s head about her unborn child. Should she keep the baby, or just simply end it all? But how often does this thought cross her mind: is it right?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says, “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.” If you read through sections 2271-2274 in the CCC, it practically states that abortion is a form of murder, which is against the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill”. God created everybody with a purpose in life. Just like killing an innocent person, killing an unborn baby would be disrupting God’s plan for that child.
We as women were specially created to bring new life into this world. Unless God has other plans for us, most of us are called to motherhood. We are to give birth to, take care of, and love the children God blesses us with. Even if it means that perhaps we must sacrifice our lives to give birth to new life, that is God’s plan for us. As St. Gianna Beretta Molla once said, “Look at the mothers who truly love their children: how many sacrifices they make for them. They are ready for everything, even to give their own blood so that their babies may live.” St. Gianna was a woman who was encouraged to abort her child because her own life was in danger. She kept her baby knowing that in the end, she might die, but her baby would live on.
In conclusion, it is morally wrong to abort a child. Even if the mother’s life is at risk, and the only way to save her is by aborting the child, the child’s life always comes first. Or for any other reason at all, health wise for the baby, financial or relationship problems for the mother, abortions should never be what the mother looks to for help. Looking to God for help and courage is what needs to be done in these circumstances.
Right now, in the U.S., seven states allow abortion with no gestational limit, nineteen states allow before viability, three states ban after twenty-four weeks, one state bans after twenty-two weeks, one state bans after eighteen weeks, two states ban after twelve weeks, four states ban after six weeks, and thirteen states have a complete ban. Of course, all states have their own exceptions, with most allowing abortion if the mother’s life is in danger. For more information on this, check out Britannica’s site here: U.S. Abortion Rights by State | Britannica
Please continue to pray for the end to abortion, for the change in hearts of women around the world considering abortion, for their safety, courage, and health, and for them and their families to find peace in Christ.
