Because of what happened during my third pregnancy, I’m going to vote NO on proposition 115. Our family, including two big brothers, was anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third child.
At about 30 weeks of pregnancy, I started having early contractions. I immediately went to see my OB-GYN, wanting to take every precaution to ensure a healthy baby. He said to me, “I promise you. Nothing is wrong. Don’t come back until your next regular appointment.”
Just two weeks later, I was in the hospital in labor. A pediatric heart specialist explained to me that my son had endocardial fibroelastosis, a rare congenital heart disease. His words were, “No matter what we do, you won’t have a positive outcome.”
Later that day, two social workers talked to my husband and me. They explained that as the baby would certainly die, we could either have him put on life support or hold him until he expired. We were very clear in our wishes. WE DID NOT WANT OUR SON PUT ON LIFE SUPPORT, and we wanted him to be baptized immediately after birth in accord with our religious faith.
After the baby was born, the doctors put him on life support. He lived for one week, and I believe that during that time, he suffered. I fought the insurance company for nearly a year to pay astronomical medical bills. In similar tragic situations, I think parents, not the government, should make life and death decisions.
Here’s a link to the Colorado Ballot Initiative: https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Proposition_115,_22-Week_Abortion_Ban_Initiative_(2020).
UPDATE:
The initiative lost in Colorado. But the nation is watching to see how the new Justice Amy Coney Barrett will vote on future abortion issues that might go before the Supreme Court. I understand that some women do use late term abortion to terminate a pregnancy when a child is found to have birth defects. Not all birth defects are equal. Some children can live meaningful lives. Others have absolutely no chance for a meaningful life.
