Recently, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the "Heartbeat Bill" with a vote of 59 to 35. The bill is considered the most restrictive abortion bill in the country and would ban abortion at the first detectable heartbeat. The only exception it allows is where the pregnancy could risk the life of the mother or would cause the mother a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. This same bill was passed in 2016 however, Governor Kasich called it unconstitutional and vetoed it.
So, let's talk about the BIG A.
In High School and up until 2014, I was STRONGLY against abortion. I thought it was selfish and unfair. That no matter the circumstance or situation, that woman, that person, that disgusting human being...didn't want that beautiful little life inside her.
It wasn't until I became a loss mother and a advocate for Pregnancy & Infant Loss awareness that my opinions and views on abortion changed, COMPLETELY.
First off, I've come to realize the importance of being a woman and standing up for what I believe in. I believe that as a woman, we get to choose our path in life, we get to choose what is the best option for us, we get to CHOOSE what we do with our soul, our heart, our mind, and most importantly, our body.
Not only is it our choice but personally, what a woman does with her body, is no one's damn business. There are numerous circumstances as to why a woman may choose to abort her child.
RAPE - a child that is a product of rape can cause irreversible damage to a women's mental and emotional stability.
INCEST - again, a child that is a product of incest can not only cause mental and emotional problems for the mother BUT the child can also experience mental and physical handicaps.
MENTAL ILLNESS - in a study conducted in Washington, D.C., 63% of mentally ill women were raped. 63%. SIXTY-THREE PERCENT. The study did not include if any of those victims conceived a child but could you imagine being in her shoes? Having no idea what was happening to your body, not understanding that you could stop it, knowing that someone has done this to you, then, becoming pregnant and starting the cycle of the unknown all over again.
Now, there are many other situations but, I'm not going to sit here and list them off because I shouldn't have too. We, as the public, are in no position to judge the actions of another. We do not know her situation and her reasoning behind her choices because guess what?? That's right, its HER CHOICE.
Secondly, being a loss Mom, I understand the heartache and pain that comes with losing a child. But, I also understand that there are circumstances that are not in our control that we, as mothers, are trying to do what is in our child's best interest.
Did you know that there are HUNDREDS of genetic mutations that are NOT CAPATIBLE with life outside the womb, and sometimes, even in it?
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (or, brittle bone disease), is caused by defective genes. The genes affect how the body makes collagen which is an important protein as it helps to strengthen bones. Without it, the smallest movement can cause the bones to break. Now, there are three types of OI ranging from mild to severe. Can you imagine being pregnant and knowing that the smallest contraction, bumping your belly into the counter, sitting down the wrong way, or any other little thing...can cause that tiny little human inside you to be exposed to insermountable pain.
Trisomy 18 (or, Edward's Syndrome), is characterized as an extra chromosome in every cell of the baby's body. Often, baby's born with Trisomy 18 are born very small and frail and typically have many serious health problems and physical defects; cleft palate, clenched fits, organ defects in the lungs, kidneys, stomach, and intestines, deformed feet (making it impossible to crawl or walk), problems with eating, heart defects, severe developmental delays, chest deformities, small head, and slowed growth.
Sometimes, we have to make the dreaded decision of whether or not the quality of life for our child, will be enough once they are brought into this world. It's not that we are being heartless or do not care for the beautiful life that is inside our body. We care so much, more than we can even describe. We are only doing what mothers know to do, protect our children. Protect them from years of pain and suffering, years of tests, needle sticks, and medications, years of never feeling normal, years of knowing that you could have done something different.
So, when I tell you that I pray that the Senate shoots down the Heartbeat Bill, I mean it. Not just because its her body and her choice but because the life of a child does matter and without quality of life....what is there?