Word came from Ireland today that a court has ruled a 17-year-old pregnant mother may travel to the UK to abort her four-month-old baby with anencephaly (no brain).

I wonder if the mother was told one gift her child would have given her was protection against breast cancer. She is not only throwing that gift away but adding to the risk by aborting.

Neither does she know how shattered her life will be on the other side. She thinks she is alleviating a a few months of grief but will instead incur a lifetime of regrets. I have spoken with women who aborted their terminally children, and they are broken.

On the other side, I have never met a mother who was sorry she carried her terminally ill baby to term and cared for him or her for the short time s/he lived. The natural maternal response is to care for one's sick child. Abortion is not.

Witness the touching syndicated Tribune story of May 3, entitled, "35 minutes to live, feel love," excerpted here....

Jessica Weatherford lies helpless on the operating table, staring at a blue surgical sheet hanging inches from her face.

It blocks her view of the Caesarean on the other side, as a doctor reaches for her baby. A baby Weatherford has been waiting for. A baby she prays will live long enough to hold....

The doctor tugs, and between his hands a tiny head appears, covered in wet curls. Weatherford feels her husband's hand gripping hers. He's scared too.

Weatherford remembers her excitement in November when she saw an image of the 20-week fetus and the sonogram technician said it was a boy.

Then the technician grew quiet, and when the Weatherfords saw the doctor, his face wore the news.

I'm sorry, he said. There are abnormalities with your baby's brain and abdomen. Problems too great to fix.

More tests brought more bad news: His heart's veins and arteries were on the wrong sides. A a sack containing half his organs was growing outside his body.

Amniocentesis confirmed a non-hereditary birth defect: full trisomy 13.

Weatherford decided the best gift she could give to her unborn son was to love him until his death, even if the only fullness of his life would be in the soft cushion of her womb....

Zeke's legs are moving as the doctor pulled him from Weatherford. It is 5:23 a.m.

Zeke doesn't cry. His mouth, with a double cleft lip on either side, slowly opens and closes. He has no nose.

Zeke's bluish skin begins to turn pink. Dave Weatherford places him in his wife's arms.

"Hi," she whispers. "This is Mommy. I love you."

With a finger she strokes his cheek, seeing only a tiny baby, fragile and pure, with a mop of curly hair. A baby who has touched so many lives.

She kisses him.

"Ohhhh," she coos, as if her lips had brushed against the smoothest silk.

Each time she speaks, Zeke moves his head just a little, jostled his tiny hand just a little.

Two, then three, then four more masked faces enter the room. They crowd around the bed: Weatherford's twin sister, Jacquelyn; her father; her mother-in-law, Kathy Weatherford; her minister, Rex Bonar.

Aunts. Grandparents. Friends. They hug each other, reach out to pat her.

"Do you want some skin-to-skin contact, Jess?" her husband asks.

She nods. One tear rolls down her cheek, then another.

Dave Weatherford and a nurse pull sheets down so Zeke is lying on Jessica's sternum. She smiles at feeling his little body.

But too soon, she realizes Zeke is leaving.

His cheek turns sallow, then a shade of blue.

'No, no, no,' she cries

"No, no, no," Weatherford cries. Softly at first, and then with a deep, sobbing grief, wails of pain. And every person moving or whispering or writing stops.

Dave Weatherford breaks down in his mother's arms.

To confirm what Jessica already knows, a doctor listens for life.

"He's done," the doctor says. The digital clock read 5:58.

You have to object to everything, don't you? Are you going to start fighting against abortions of ectopic pregnancies?

The complete, original articles in the Kansas City Star tell Zeke's story so much better than the Tribune's shortened version. The original articles can be found below or by searching "Zeke's Gift".
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/70880.html
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/71826.html

Jessica has kept a journal at www.caringbridge.org/visit/babyzeke. Jessica and Dave were willing to share their story so that others can know the resources available (perinatal hospice, infant bereavement photography and others). They also wanted others to know that being the best parents they could be while Zeke was with them was the best gift they could give Zeke and themselves. They have not regrets. Our time with Zeke was short, yet so very precious.

Zeke's Aunt Jacquelyn

That's great news. Good for the Irish girl! It's refreshing to see that even the Irish can cope with grey realities. She is young and proceeding with this birth is more likely to make it difficult for future pregnancies than it is going to reduce any risk of breast cancer. Fortunately, the rest of the industrialized world kind of gets a bad taste in its mouth profiting from the sick and dying, so they're socialized, and expenses aren't an issue.

After that sad tale of the Weatherfords, I can't help be but a bit of terrorist. Does anyone think that maybe it's selfish and cruel to bring such a malformed infant into the world just to hold it/see it... or possibly worse yet, as an act of pious drama?

Jacquelyn, how kind of you to post. FYI, I cut the article for brevity on the blog but did not know the Tribune had already cut it before me. Thanks for providing the link to the complete article.

Your family is a real inspiration. I appreciate your willingness to go public.

Cameron, I'll ignore your last paragraph since you've already made clear you have no conscience. As for your statement, "proceeding with this birth is more likely to make it difficult for future pregnancies," prove that. Actually, the opposite is true.

Cameron, I don't have any dispute with the Weatherfords, nor the woman in Ireland. That's choice, they're all old enough to decide what works for them. It's a tough situation and we should let people make their own decisions, after consulting their doctors. As long as the government stays out of it, I'm ok.

After that sad tale of the Weatherfords, I can't help be but a bit of terrorist. Does anyone think that maybe it's selfish and cruel to bring such a malformed infant into the world just to hold it/see it... or possibly worse yet, as an act of pious drama?

No, I certainly don't see it that way at all, Cameron. Could you be so kind as to explain exactly what you think is "wrong" or "cruel" about it?

Jacqueline, thank you so much for the article links! Your family is indeed an inspiration!

"After that sad tale of the Weatherfords, I can't help be but a bit of terrorist. Does anyone think that maybe it's selfish and cruel to bring such a malformed infant into the world just to hold it/see it... or possibly worse yet, as an act of pious drama?"

If that's all the more heinous you can make it sound, it still compares as angelic virtue compared with wholesale snuffing of unborn lives for profit in America.

How you imagine that your pejorative hyperbole counts as much when that's the comparison to be made, suggests to me that that must have been Cameron I, just there, not Cameron II.

And who in the world do you think you are to talk about selfish?

"...even the Irish..."

Woah, now. Let's not go there, please. I was recently in Ireland and I found that they are some of the most friendly people in the world--they're even nice in the big cities, which is refreshing after Paris. It is too bad that abortions are so restricted in Ireland, but it is otherwise a wonderful country, and I am so happy to be a part of its heritage.

Coincidentally, I heard about this story when I was in Ireland. I am very glad that the poor girl was allowed to do as she wanted. I hope any future pregnancies she may have go better for her.

Also, I hope this is a step in the right direction for abortion policies in Ireland. This news has indeed given me hope.

Erinn go bragh!

Leah: I think Cameron was only referring to the fact that Ireland has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe, and not meaning the Irish people/government as a whole.

proof for the lazy butts that can't take five seconds to look for themselves.

BTW... this is what we call a primary source Jill.

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1992.tb14411.x
&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=8931052

I just grabbed the first one I came accross. You can mine it's citations for more yourself.

Yes... not ripping on Irish, only pointing-out that they are pretty strict about this yet not wholly unreasonable.

Yes I can explain Beth, but that's sort of pointless with you.

Could it be, that Ireland is wonderful/open/friendly/hospitable because they have no abortions (not allowed by law)??????

..and into the arms of God little Zeke will go, where there is no pain, death or suffering ..but Life in it's fullness. His body will be perfectly restored.

I carried a baby to term with anencephaly. I almost terminated the pregnancy because I didnt think I could do it for four more months. I decided since there was no risk to me I wanted to carry him as long as I could so I could get to know him and spend as much time as I could with my son. I will never forget the 33 hours I had with him after his birth, it was wonderful. Terminating at the time of dx would have only cut my time short with him and I would have never gotten the chance to know and have memories with him. I would have still grieved over the loss of my baby, as this girl will.Aborting is not going to change anything. Do you know how many women that abort their anencephalic baby and later regret doing so??Many.Not all,but many do. They still grieve over their loss as I do and others that carried to term,but on top of their grief they have to deal with guilt and wondering what their baby might have looked like or would their baby have lived long after birth,etc. Oh and the news keeps saying the baby will NOT live longer than 3 days max.Well that is also not true, recently a mother that delievered an anencephalic baby in Jan. the baby girl lived iver a month.All by herself. She wasnt in pain at all.I know of other anencephalic babies that have lived 2 or 3 weeks.
Many women carry termianlly ill babies to term.You dont often hear about it because no one wants to talk about it, no one wants to think about it.Its far too sad.Even though its a beautiful and caring thing to love a child without conditions.My 7year old son knows that I will love him no matter what, he saw that I loved and cared for his baby brother even though he was missing his brain and most of his skull.

Cameron, the onus to prove is on the one making a claim, not the one questioning a claim.

Your readily admitted quick fetch, which you bragged was a primary source, was not analagous: "Previous miscarriage and stillbirth as risk factors for other unfavourable outcomes in the next pregnancy."

Nicole, thanks very much for taking the time to tell your story. What you say about mothers who abort anencephalic babies is what I hear at lot.

Nicole, Thanks for sharing your story. God bless you.

I didn't figure Cameron was bashing the Irish people as a whole ... I just thought I'd say that just in case. Plus it was an opportunity to brag about going to Ireland. :)

John said: "Could it be, that Ireland is wonderful/open/friendly/hospitable because they have no abortions (not allowed by law)??????"

Uhh ... that's probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life. I don't think their friendliness has anything to do with abortions. Thanks for the laugh.

Yes I can explain Beth, but that's sort of pointless with you.

LOL :-D I didn't expect you to be able to explain it anyway. It was quite ridiculous.

Hi my name is Terri and i am from Dublin in Ireland, i too gave birth to a baby with anencephaly, where i feel i made the right choice to carry, this is not necessarily the right choice for all, i think this case is so hard for the teen carrying, yes she may regret what she has chosen to do and also she may not. i wish her well in her life and hope she is happy. Miss D my thoughts are with you adn the best of luck, i hope the rest of your life is filled with happiness xxxx terri

Thanks for sharing Terri!

Jill wrote: "I wonder if the mother was told one gift her child would have given her was protection against breast cancer. She is not only throwing that gift away but adding to the risk by aborting."

BEEP BEEP BEEP goes the bull**** detector.

Woah, now. Let's not go there, please. I was recently in Ireland and I found that they are some of the most friendly people in the world--they're even nice in the big cities, which is refreshing after Paris. It is too bad that abortions are so restricted in Ireland, but it is otherwise a wonderful country, and I am so happy to be a part of its heritage.

Oh yes, I wholeheartedly agree...Ireland would be a much nicer place if only they killed there children more often.

I like the Guinness too.

Dr. Death Threat has returned.

Yeah well at least he's not hiding behind a false name.

Hungover SOMG? That was some party! BTW, congrats on catching cam's bouquet!

HAHAHA, MK Just wait till he returns as BobFor Prez

"Dr. Death Threat." roflll. You kill me sometimes, Heather. Uh oh. Maybe I shouldn't say ill-kay with SOMG in the cyberbuilding.

And Smoggy, aside from my rule against death threats, you know I have a rule against swearing. You're on a binge. But I'll leave up your post tonight because I want you to answer two questions based upon it:

1. Do you acknowledge that full-term pregnancy protects against breast cancer?

2. Do you acknowledge that premature deliveries before 32 weeks doubles the breast cancer risk?

"I have spoken with women who aborted their terminally children, and they are broken.On the other side, I have never met a mother who was sorry she carried her terminally ill baby to term and cared for him or her for the short time s/he lived"

this sums it up perfectly Jill....I wish you could talk with the girl from Ireland.

Jill, 1. Yes, but only to a very small degree. 2. No, not on your say-so. I'd need to see a source for that. And it would have to be a source I can get the whole text of, not just the abstract. "Doubles" the risk? How would you measure this, given that most breast cancers don't show up until the patient's in her sixties or so?

OK I found the Melbye article.

http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v80/n3/abs/6690399a.html

Yes, I'll acknowledge #2 as well. With the caveat that their group of women who had premature deliveries less than 32 weeks was a "very small" group. That means it's more susceptible to statistical noise. The lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval for

SOMG, thanks for taking the time to look.

First, if a full-term pregnancy protects against breast cancer, and premature deliveries increase the risk of breast cancer, wouldn't it stand to reason even without studies that abortion (forced premature deliveries, so to speak) increases the risk of breast cancer?

Do you know why a full-term pregnancy protects against breast cancer, and premature deliveries increase the risk of breast cancer?

Jill, you wrote: "if a full-term pregnancy protects against breast cancer, and premature deliveries increase the risk of breast cancer, wouldn't it stand to reason even without studies that abortion (forced premature deliveries, so to speak) increases the risk of breast cancer?"

That's what we call an hypothesis. In this case it turns out to be wrong. See Melbye's other study, "Induced Abortion and the Risk of Breast Cancer", in NEJM.

And it's wrong for you to generalize from the small group of

Finally, it's careless of you to draw a big conclusion ("premature deliveries at less than 32 weeks increase the risk of breast cancer") from a data point involving a group which the study's abstract describes as "very small".

MK said: Oh yes, I wholeheartedly agree...Ireland would be a much nicer place if only they killed there children more often

Ireland would be a much nicer place if they gave the power to control what they wanted happening with their bodies.

Incidentally, I can't stand Guinness.

Cameron, personally I find it disturbing that even the Irish, who have compassion enough to ban elective abortion, look on this girl's child as if it's just some yucky bug that needs to be squished.

The fact that a child is disabled ought to elicit extra compassion, not an attitude of "Ew! Ick! Kill it quick!"

(((Nichole)))

If this Irish girl (and all the people cheering her on) saw a poor person on the street, would she say, "Oh! He has very little! I'll steal it all from him!"?

Under what other circumstance does the fact that somebody has very little make it okay to take it away from him? Just because this child's life is short doesn't mean that it's okay to not let him have it! In fact, it makes it really mean, just like stealing from some poor homeless guy and saying, "It's not like I took very much!"

Ireland would be a much nicer place if they gave the power to control what they wanted happening with their bodies.

Leah, you mean if they could destroy other people's bodies, which is what Miss D is going to do to her baby.

What part of the fact that a child will be put to death is lost on you? How can anybody pretend to have a shred of compassion for other human beings, while supporting a supposed "right" of one group to have members of another group dismembered on request?

Jill, It's not Somg's BS detector beeping, it's his house arrest monitoring device. Perhaps an ankle bracelet? beep, beep, beep!

Heather,

Jill, It's not Somg's BS detector beeping, it's his house arrest monitoring device. Perhaps an ankle bracelet? beep, beep, beep!

HIGH FIVE HEATHER!!

Have you been practicing? You're getting really good. First Dr. Death Threat and now this?

My, My.

Jill says:

"Neither does she know how shattered her life will be on the other side. She thinks she is alleviating a a few months of grief but will instead incur a lifetime of regrets. I have spoken with women who aborted their terminally children, and they are broken."

Is a human being without a brain actually a person or does it just look like it? What is wrong with you people?

A lifetime of regrets: about what? Sparing a non-person pain? Wait, without a brain can they even feel pain? Sparing herself the pains of pregnancy and being able to move on with her life instead of being pregnant for anothe 5 months knowing she will give birth to something that will live for a few days at best? Great you have anecdotal evidence, Jill, I am sure you haven;t talked to all those women who really didn;t care about having terminated a fetus without a brain before it died by itself.

Ireland has a culture of being anti-abortion. I am sure there is plenty of information out there about possible side effects of abortion (and no, breast cancer is still not one of them no matter how much you really want to believe it), exaggerated and real ones. The girl grew up in this culture. She has probably heard all the things you would tell her more than about the benefits. She has made her decision. Just get over it for your own peace of mind!

Leah,

You are right Guiness is bad. Yay for Kilkenny though.

Christina says:

"The fact that a child is disabled ought to elicit extra compassion, not an attitude of "Ew! Ick! Kill it quick!""

Disabled? you call parts of the brain or all of it missing disabled? Hey, this is not down syndrom! How about not viable in any case? The only compassion I have is for the mother who wanted to keep the pregnancy until she found out that after going through the pregnancy and the pains of birth all she would do is give birth to an either dead or soon dead human being.

Joe,you want to abort healthy children too.

SOMG, 9:38p, touted the Melbye anti-ABC study. It was flawed, as even this pro-abort researcher admitted:

"But flaws in Melbye's research left that position open to attack. By his own admission, the fact that pre-1973 abortion information was not included could lead to an under-estimation of a link with breast cancer among older women. Other researchers noted, as well, that it was far too early to know what the breast cancer incidence would be for women in the study who were born as recently as the 1970s?an age group for which abortion rates would have been comparatively high."

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1251638

Joe, 6:34a: You bring us back to the question, what makes us human? Even without brains, we are human, not hamsters. You thus advocate euthanasia. Is that what you mean to do?

Hi Joe, Leah, and .........

thanks very much for your condescension! things are not quite so simple ::: a Brit died and because of his lifelong genius the doctors thought it appropriate to do studies of his brain, hoping to find out what made for genius. They were more than perplexed when they discovered that this man had anencephaly so bad, that he had little more than a brain stem. ['The Brain: the final frontier' by Richard Restack]

I too have a genetic disease that is not easy to handle. I sure as hell do not need someone judging my life as being futile (as many hospitals now do)! Crass, incredibly crass - wonder if there will ever be a genetic test for such ... ???

I will take some time, and hope to post on the thread about DS.

thanks very much for your condescension! things are not quite so simple ::: a Brit died and because of his lifelong genius the doctors thought it appropriate to do studies of his brain, hoping to find out what made for genius. They were more than perplexed when they discovered that this man had anencephaly so bad, that he had little more than a brain stem. ['The Brain: the final frontier' by Richard Restack]

WOW, that is VERY interesting! I am going to have to look up that book and read it.

Me too.

To:Joe at May 10, 2007 06:34 AM You must have missed my post mister.

Yes an anencephalic baby is a human.My son had everything you have, his neural tube just falied to close so his brain and skull didnt form comletley. When he was born he cried,urinated,nursed, he even sucked his thumb....but no he wasnt really a human.He just looked and acted like a normal human newborn baby.

Like I said in my post-MANY mothers that abort anencephalic babies DO regret doing so.NOT all but MANY. I have talked with many of these mothers. You wanna know why they regret aborting?? Because they wanted to carry to term,but they were pressured and lied to by their doctors. They were told their life was at risk(which is not true)other lies as well. Wanna know what they have regrets about ?? Many mothers never got to see their babies, never got to hold them, were unable to get any type of keepsakes to remember their baby by, were unable to lay their babies to rest or have any type of memorial to honor their short lives.They will forever wonder what their child looked like, would they have lived long outside the womb,etc. Some mothers that terminated their pregnancy did get to hold their baby and make some memories with them.
All still grieved for their loss. Aborting did not stop that from happening.They did not just move on with their lives after the abortion like you said. A mother who has had their child die does not just move on (like you would have any idea) it doesnt work like that. On top of their grief they have the guilt. It takes time to get over a loss (ask a mother who lost a child 20 years ago, see if she is "over" it yet).

I tried to tell my family not to pity me for having to carry a baby to term a baby I know will die- it was hard but to be able to meet my SON(not some deformed brainless non-human,but my SON) and hold him and for him to know nothing but love his short life was worth it. I am not even religous so dont think I did it because of that.

People like you will never understand, I am probably wasting my time writing this to you. You know what? Maybe there is a mother out there and she just found out that her baby has anencephaly and she is not sure what to do. A part of her wants to carry the baby and another part of her wants to get it over with and move on(like you said). Maybe she will run across this and read my story and it will help her with her decison. I know thats what helped me. I needed to read others stories. I didnt want to abort but I didnt think I could go 4 more months. It was reading stories of the mothers who did carry to term. Hearing their stories helped me make my decsion. I knew I wasnt alone and if I needed support along the way they would be there for him to help me.
Its been a little over a year since my son died, and I just want to be there for mothers that were where I was. Whether they carry to term or not. I try to give them the facts and they do what they want with the info. Whooo I am long winded today!lol.

Nichole, thank you so much for your post. I am so sorry for your loss. (((((((HUG))))))))

John, is it The Last Frontier? I found that book online,but couldn't find one called the Final Frontier. I'm guessing that's it because it has the same author. :)

http://www.google.com/products?q=the+LAST+Frontier+by+Richard+Restack&hl=en&um=1&sa=X&oi=froogle&ct=title

Nicole,Me too! Thank you for sharing your story!! God bless you!

that's it Bethany .... it's the paperback edition you want. The library one (published later) has whole sections that were edited out ...

I loved the section about a full-proof lie detector ... should be operational in all major aeroplane terminals. All the operator need do is ask "Are you a terrorist?" It would do away with lying politicians (can't have that); most police investigative work ... most judges etc... (another no-no)

Nicole -

"ask a mother who lost a child 20 years ago, see if she is "over" it yet"

In the early 1940's my Uncle died at 4 days old.

My Grandmother thought about him everyday until she died. She prayed to him asking him to watch over his brothers. She went to his grave us much as possible to make sure it looked nice, flowers, wreaths etc. (My cousin now does that) She loved him as much as she loved her living boys.

She did move on; but she never forgot.

She died in 2000. 60 years, and she never stopped loving him.

Nicole, thanks for posting again. I loved your start to Joe: "You must have missed my post mister." It made me laugh even though the post following was so touching. You're an awesome mother, Nicole. And you do never know who might read your posts and gain strength to do the right thing despite all the talking heads around her telling her to abort. There are so many of them - doctors, insurance company, social workers, genetics department. People have no idea what mothers like you are up against.

On a lighter note:

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing
and decides to take a nap.

Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take
the boat out. She motors out a short distance, and reads her book.
Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the
woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?"

"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, Isn't that obvious?")

"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.

"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing, I'm reading."

"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could
start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you
up."

"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault,"
says the woman.

"But I haven't even touched you, " says the game warden.

"That's true but you have all the equipment. For all I know you
could start at any moment."

"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.

MK: hahahahahahahaha ... that's a good one, I have to say.

I'll have something more constructive to say later ...

hi everyone, i posted here yesterday and i am irish, dont' agree with us not having "choice" in this issue although i did carry my son who also had anencephaly and am so happy i did as i now have a grave to go and talk too but i think all the opinions that people have are fantastic but unless you are faced with the choice to terminate a pregnancy or not, really we cannont judge. I did consider a termination and honestly it was my first choice but after hours, days of thinking i decided against it. i have lots of info on anen and i like to think i can offer some advice to any who has to consider there choices i am not prolife and i am not a killer either i agree with informed decisions though and my email address is tsammonpalmer@hotmail.com and i am only too open to emails if any one who has to made this awful decision would like to chat online or even if anyone justs wants to debate this issue |(always a pleasure !!) xxx terri

Terri, thanks for posting and sharing your story. I'm glad you did the right thing, although I'm sorry you take the pro-abortion position on the topic. You've stated many reasons why delivering your baby was the best decision. I hope you'll counsel mothers to take your path.

God speed.

So because some women you met are unhappy with the decisions they've made you think that other women should not have the right to take the same risks and make decisions on their own grounds?

I've met and heard of plenty of women who suffer from or have suffered from postpartum depression, does that mean that they should regret having a baby the rest of their lives and no women should be able to have babies because some women regret it or have a hard time adjusting and run the risk of PPD?

Lets face it, people handle circumstances in different ways and it should not be to the detriment of the entire population of the world because some people suffer from the choices they have made while others benefit.

This teenage girl obviously wasn't mature or emotionally stable enough to even be able to handle seeing her child born like that, maybe she couldn't even physically and mentally handle caring the child to term.

I think that there is a huge difference in going through a difficult pregnancy such as this when you are 17 and essentially on your own, and when you are in a stable marriage with someone who could be there for you, going through it with you.

Not all people are exactly the same, and not all people believe the same things as you do and I think the world would be a much better place if you and all of your followers would get that through your heads.

hmmm I never said because some women had regrets about ending their childs life 4 months early that other mothers cant make their own decisions. What I am trying to get across is too many mothers are pressured into aborting.

I help run a support group for such mothers, I see too many pressured and lied to into abortion. Of course (as I have said) their are mothers that are fine with it. This is a touchy subject because the baby is terminal. I am also trying to get across that abortion does not just fix everything and then you go about your life as if nothing happened.America hates to talk about death-esp. the death of a baby.

I feel for this 17 year old girl. I have been in her shoes. I know what it feels like to be lying on the ultrsound table waiting to hear whether your having a boy or girl and just being so excited to see your little one and to have your hopes and dreams crushed with one word.Anencephaly. That happened when I was 22 and yes I was married to a man who stood behind me and supported me. When I was 15 I was not so lucky. I got pregnant. Everyone told me to abort. The "father" felt trapped and said to get an abortion or he was outa here, his parents agreed. My family agreed, hell everyone agreed. Did anyone ask me ? Make a long story short I didnt get an abortion. My family told me to do it on my own if thats what I wanted.So I did. At 16 weeks my test came back that I was high risk for spina bifida and anencephaly. I asked the nurse what that ment for me? She said we can set you up with a genetics counsuler and have a "theraputic abortion". I wasnt even given a CHOICE.
That poor girl has gone through enough,I wish she were not going through this as well.

Terri, I am sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you were able to keep some wonderful memories of carrying your baby under your heart for so long. I know I did.
Take care.

Jill just to clarify one thing i do not take the pro- abortion view, i take the pro- choice of the individual view. Please re-read my post

Thank you Nicole, yes i have some wonderful memories although we only had him in this world for 20mins.
Please visit my story http://www.anencephalie-info.org/e/james.htm

You know what Terri, I actually read little James story while I was carrying Logan. That website really helped me a lot. I did have the link to Logans story listed but my website was getting so much traffic I was exceeding my bandwith limit and so I had to have it removed. It was stories like yours that helped me in my decsion to carry to term.
Thank you for sharing!

Nicole, my comments were in regards to Jill Stanek's post. I'm sorry you've had to endure such painful experiences but i feel like you're assuming that all women are forced into having abortions and while i'm sure there is alot of pressure, it is ultimately up to the woman regardless of what is being fed into her head.

I might also add (in response to jill's post) that my grandmother had FOUR full term babies and she still managed to get aggressive breast cancer. I'd really like to see the SUBSTANTIAL evidence you seem to suggest exists supporting your statement that "one gift her child would have given her was protection against breast cancer." Having FOUR children didn't seem to give my grandmother much protection. Are you trying to say that having children automatically protects you?

Having children confers a very small degree of protection from breast cancer. It's technically true, but the effect is so small that it's not considered a good reason to have children.

Nicole, thank you so much for your reply there i am so glad that you took something positive from my webpage, its hard give advice and not sound "i know everything" and "righteous". How are you keeping now?
xxxTerri