In Defense of Life: “Formed in Secret”
May 5th, 2009
…but now revealed.
Eleven years ago while giving an anesthetic for a ruptured entopic pregnancy (at eight weeks gestation), I was handed what I believe was the smallest living human ever seen. The embryonic sac was intact and transparent. Within the sac was a tiny human male swimming extremely vigorously in the amniotic fluid, while attached to the wall by the umbilical cord. This tiny human was perfectly developed, with long, tapering fingers, feet and toes. It was almost transparent, as regards the skin, and the delicate arteries and veins were prominent to the ends of the fingers. The baby was extremely alive and swam about the sac approximately one time per second, with a natural swimmer’s stroke. This tiny human did not look at all like the photos and drawings and models of embryos which I had seen, nor did it look like a few embryos I have been able to observe since then, obviously because this one was alive. When the sac was opened, the tiny human immediately lost his life and took on the appearance of what is accepted as the appearance of an embryo at this stage of life.
Paul E. Rockwell, M.D., Director of Anesthesiology, Leonard Hospital, Troy, New York (Petition to U.S. Supreme Court, October, 1972. Markle v. Albele, 72-56,72-730, p. 11.)
Baby at Seven Weeks
From: Images of Fetal Development
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More than half (62%) of the reported legal induced abortions were performed during the first 8 weeks of gestation; 88% were performed within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
The American Pregnancy Association: Fetal Development: First Trimester
MedicineNet: Fetal Development Pictures Slideshow: Month by Month
Nothing has been as damaging to our cause as the advances in technology which have allowed pictures of the developing fetus, because people now talk about that fetus in much different terms than they did fifteen years ago. They talk about it as a human being, which is not something that I have an easy answer how to cure.
Harrison Hickman, 1989 conference of the National Abortion Rights Action League.
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After I finished this post, last night I came across one by La Shawn Barber: Abort-able; she briefly describes abortion procedures at various stages of development of the child and then posts some of Lennart Nilsson’s classic and beautiful photographs of the child within the womb at corresponding weeks of pregnancy.
My first post on life: In Defense of Life: An Unalienable Right.
Crossposted to Be John Galt.
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H/T:
Rockwell quote: Abortion: Murder of the Masses by Meredith Joy Hibbard
Photo & Hickman quote: Priests For Life.
Thanks to RWY for the link to the Fetal Development Pictures Slideshow.
Posted in 3 Responses to “In Defense of Life: “Formed in Secret””
[...] Crossposted to J’s Cafe Nette. [...]
I can’t understand how anyone can consciously abort a child without feeling guilt. And some do it numerous times.
Between my two children I had a miscarriage. I was told to save all clots and I am sure I saw the fetus. It looked like a tiny shrimp, but I knew it was my baby.
Though this was a miscarriage and not a planned abortion, my husband and I grieved over the child, I remembered the due date for many years (late January) and felt guilt that I might have done something to cause this baby’s death.
Knowing how I felt about a situation over which I had no control, makes me wonder how people can do it on purpose for birth control reasons.
One day I’ll be with that baby and we’ll get to know each other the way I had hoped we would some 37 or 38 years ago.
J, thank you for sharing that. Someday God will wipe away your tears of grief and you’ll see your baby.
The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin. May those who have aborted their children find forgiveness in Him.
For some, I wonder if guilt has fueled their rage until their conscience has become seared.