(44) Say 'No' to Abortion and Foeticide!

"A Breath Denied: A study on the Sanctity of Life"

By Binoy Thomas (MSc. Medical Biochemistry)

The Context of This Writing

It was an evening a few years ago. I was walking along the pavement in Kottayam town after work when I ran into an old friend. During our conversation, I sensed he was deeply troubled. The issue was this: his wife was working as a school teacher on a contract basis. They already had one child. Fearing she might lose her job, they weren't planning for a second child anytime soon. However, due to what he called a "mistake," they were moving to terminate a two-month-old pregnancy.

I spoke to him firmly for nearly half an hour against it, but there was no significant response. Perhaps because his wife was more educated than him, he kept repeating her firm stance with a sense of "fearful respect." As my hopes faded, I prayed a couple of times that God would give them the right sense, and then I forgot about it. I didn't call him again.

Some time later, I received a joyful call from him—it was to tell me that today was that child’s first birthday! It was a moment of great happiness and pride, knowing I had played at least a small part in saving a young life. If someone like me, with few friends, gets such an opportunity, many of you with vast circles could save countless little lives. Beyond self-awareness, it is good to know a few things to save others from this mistake. This writing is only a guide; please consult expert doctors for precise information and assistance.

There is another reason for writing this now. In India, currently, only Allopathic doctors are authorized to perform abortions. You may be aware that the Central Government (as of August 2016) is considering a legal amendment to grant this authority not only to Homeopathy, Ayurveda, and Unani doctors but even to midwives. If this law takes effect, it could lead to the primitive destruction of many human lives and increase maternal mortality. Hence, this is a call to avoid foeticide and abortion as much as possible.

Since every child's birth is precious, the value of this small book cannot be determined. Therefore, it is available here to read for free. May lovers of humanity be able to save many tiny lives.

1. The Definition of Life

Our Earth originated 4.6 billion years ago. The biodiversity that has formed since single-celled organisms appeared 4.1 billion years ago is staggering. Many species have already gone extinct—most notably the giant dinosaurs that lived between 240 million and 60 million years ago. Man (Homo sapiens), the current great creation in the evolutionary system containing a spark of the Divine, was born only about 1.95 lakh years ago. Humans achieved the highest intelligence, emotions, beauty, and power. Yet, even the Creator might regret giving all this to humans today!

This is because cruelties and immoral acts rise from humans like poisonous smoke. If given a chance, some seek to hurt fellow beings through words, deeds, or even a glance. The average human lifespan on our globe is 67 years. While about 55 million people die annually due to diseases, wars, accidents, and various cruelties, at least 56 million lives are lost every year through abortion. This is not just a top-tier cruelty; it is a heinous, brutal violation of human rights that prevents a fetus from ever seeing the light of day.

Our beautiful Earth has been turned into a cursed graveyard echoing the silent cries of billions of infants. Foeticide, abortion, birth control, and sexuality are areas where cruelty, negligence, and ignorance dominate. Some argue that a fetus is just a piece of flesh and not yet a child. This is entirely false.

Dr. William A. Liley, a prominent medical practitioner and leader of the New Zealand anti-abortion group 'Voice for Life,' stated: "Life begins at the moment of fertilization. I prefer to call the zygote an undeveloped person."

Out of millions of sperm, usually one penetrates the ovum to achieve fertilization, and life buds as a zygote. Within 24 hours, as it begins cell division, it is called an embryo. After 3-5 days, it moves from the fallopian tube to the uterus, attaches itself, and becomes a blastocyst. By 8 weeks, it becomes a fetus, the early form of a fully developed baby.

By the 10th week, organ positions are determined. In the 11th week, baby teeth and gums form. By 12 weeks (three months), human organs like the brain, kidneys, eyes, nose, ears, limbs, and mouth are formed. No one should assume a fetus reaches full growth without these stages.

Another hollow argument is that millions of living sperm are wasted by men, and a woman’s living egg is "lost" every month—so what is wrong if an embryo is destroyed? This is incorrect. While sperm and eggs have life, they cannot create a child alone. Each is only "half-life" for a new creation. Only when they join does the "full life" of a fetus begin to throb.

Abortion/Miscarriage: The process of expelling the fetus from the uterus. This happens naturally due to genetic reasons or intentionally by humans.

Foeticide: The criminal act of killing a life after fertilization.

Birth Control/Contraception: Various methods to prevent pregnancy. Since many have failure rates, they often end in foeticide. Some are intended to destroy the embryo directly. Safe methods that avoid fertilization are few.

In India, the MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act was created in 1971 to regulate illegal abortions and came into effect on April 1, 1972. This Act allows abortion up to 20 weeks under specific conditions: a pregnant unmarried girl under 18, fetal abnormalities, pregnancy due to rape, danger to the mother's mental or physical health, or contraceptive failure.

According to the WHO, one in five pregnancies worldwide is terminated, totaling 5.6 crore (56 million) lives annually. The number of illegal abortions is impossible to calculate. While 17% occur in developed countries, 83% happen in developing nations.

Studies show that 74% of people support abortion, prioritizing sexual pleasure. Among women undergoing this, 66% are unmarried, and 50% are under the age of 25. In India, at least 4,000 women die every year due to unsafe abortions.

2. Reasons for this Cruelty

Listen to some of the excuses found to treat this cruelty lightly:

"We don't want a third child."

"We don't have the finances to look after this one too."

"It was a mistake."

"We need a boy for the family lineage; we don't want a girl."

"I'll lose my job if they find out I'm pregnant."

"Wait until after the festival/celebration."

"The scholar predicted the child born next year will have 'Raja Yoga' (great fortune)."

"If I give birth now, my voice (as a singer) will change."

In states like Haryana, Gujarat, and Himachal, there are more men than women because female foeticide is rampant to avoid dowry. In infertility treatments like IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization), multiple embryos are often implanted to increase success, but eventually, one is kept and others are destroyed.

3. Merciless Methods

Abortion is mainly done in two ways: Medical Abortion (up to 7 weeks) using drugs like Mifepristone and Misoprostol, and Surgical Abortion (after 7 weeks).

Suction Method: A tube is inserted into the uterus, and a suction pump pulls the baby out.

D&C (Dilatation & Curettage): A sharp instrument cuts the baby into pieces to remove them.

Saline Solution: Injected into the uterus to burn the fetus; the mother then "delivers" a dead or half-dead baby.

IUD (Intra-Uterine Device/Copper-T): Often causes foeticide without people realizing it, as it prevents the zygote from attaching or destroys it through friction.

4. Consequent Sufferings

90% of women who undergo abortion face physical and mental issues. It is three times more dangerous than childbirth; if done after three months, it is five times more dangerous.

Physical: Uterine injuries, heavy bleeding, infection, future infertility, and an increased risk of breast cancer.

Mental: Guilt, tension, fear, depression, loss of sexual interest, and withdrawal from society.

Social: The UN warns that female foeticide unbalances the male-female ratio, leading to increased crimes against children and social instability.

5. To Prevent This Menace

Health Checks: Before marriage, treat conditions like thyroid issues, BP, diabetes, or STDs, as these can adversely affect a fetus.

Pre-pregnancy Scans: Scan for fibroids or cysts that might cause a miscarriage later.

Age Factor: Avoid late marriages and delayed pregnancies (after 35), as infertility and risks increase.

Lifestyle: Avoid pollution, adulterated food, and harmful habits.

Family Vigilance: Parents must guide daughters carefully. Modern technology and social media can sometimes lead to moral decay and exploitation.

Safe Sex: If a child is not wanted, use safe contraceptive methods that prevent fertilization (like condoms) rather than those that destroy an embryo.

Education: Scientific sex education should be provided by experts in schools to clear doubts and prevent the spread of dangerous misinformation.

Ethical Practice: Seek help from expert Allopathic doctors rather than "quacks" or unscientific practitioners.

6. Great Words on Life

"A child is another human being. Abortion is homicide. It is as clear as daylight to me that abortion is a crime." — Mahatma Gandhi

"An unspeakable crime." — Pope John Paul II

"If a mother can kill her own child, what is left but for us to kill each other?" — Mother Teresa

"No woman who understands what happens during an abortion would ever go through with it." — Dr. Bernard Nathanson