In the midst of a global health crisis that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, abortion proponents continue to defend the life-ending procedure. That they insist on it as a regular part of women’s healthcare, even as we combat an invisible foe, only serves to highlight the true nature of their cause. One would think that the sacrifices of medical personnel, need for ventilators, and stringent guidelines on how to navigate a world with COVID-19 safely, among other things, would reinforce the sanctity of all life.
This is not the case for the abortion industry.
At the end of March, the American Medical Association issued a statement in support of abortion saying, “While many physicians and health care workers are on the front lines in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unfortunate that elected officials in some states are exploiting this moment to ban or dramatically limit women’s reproductive health care, labeling procedures as ‘non-urgent.’”
This is a tone-deaf response. While attempting to chastise pro-life politicians, they actually make the case for them by admitting that most healthcare professionals are busy battling the virus, thus requiring that certain surgeries or procedures be suspended. Doing so is nothing but a logical response to the increased pressures placed on our healthcare system.
Second only to the death toll from the virus is the immense strain placed on the economy. The financial security of millions of individuals has been affected by the pandemic in ways they were not expecting. The unemployment rate is at a historic high. Some businesses have shut down, many have lost their jobs, and others are furloughed for the time being. Still, these factors do not make abortion the right choice. Economic insecurity, whether it’s brought on by a global health crisis or not, is never reason enough to end an unborn life.
On Monday, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an op-ed authored by a woman who had an abortion in the midst of this pandemic. In it, she relays her reasons behind the decision: “My concerns about my own health, combined with anxiety about finances and the economic upheaval that has come with the coronavirus made our choice obvious.”
As a mother who is expecting her second child right now, I understand her fears as they relate to health, finances, and the like. Pregnancy is a serious matter that changes the course of anyone’s life. It is a major health and medical experience. Still, her reasoning fails.
In normal times, the ability to afford a child is one of the top reasons given by women who get an abortion. But whether or not it’s business as usual or we collectively face a national and worldwide struggle, current and future financial concerns should not end an innocent life placed in the womb through no fault of its own. A growing human life should never be chosen for destruction because of external circumstances.
If there is a natural loss, that is one thing. But abortion brings about an artificial, premature, and violent end. Thankfully, during this crisis and otherwise, life-affirming pregnancy centers have been and are ready to help pregnant women in need. As reported, these clinics are experiencing an uptick in demand as women who face a pandemic pregnancy seek help.
The abortion industry’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic is to accuse the pro-life community of being heartless. But this claim is made whether there is a pandemic or not. Somehow, those who value life in all its stages are seen as capitalizing on a crisis by encouraging women to not end the life of their unborn child, even if there are difficulties on the horizon. This has been the message all along.
No matter the circumstance, pro-life individuals should be not only quick to defend life but also ready to encourage and aid women who believe adding a child to their life is an impossibility. And because financial concerns are a common reason for pursuing abortion, the pro-life community is more than equipped to handle why, even now, abortion is not the answer.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
