1.37 million babies aborted in the U.S. each year
vs.
18,000 babies adopted in the U.S. each year
I learned this figure this morning and I cannot wrap my head around it!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't often take on political topics in a public forum; I want to first say that from my point of view I would never even consider aborting a child. Being an infertile woman I have a unique perspective on this I know.......I would give my life to have been able to bring a child into this world myself. And now being an adoptive mother, I am eternally grateful to his birth-mother for choosing to sacrifice her own happiness, and risk terrible heart ache to give him life; and then choosing to give him a family that would make the best of that chance at life.
I am not here to judge a "women's right to choose" but these number's are staggering. Why aren't more of those 1.37 million babies adopted out, given life? Maybe just maybe someone who doesn't know much about the choice of adoption will read this and will choose the road less traveled so that she can be someone's angel, someone's hero, someone's life saver and life giver.
The choice between life and death aren't the only choices: Adoption is a choice. When you choose abortion it is a final choice; a black and white choice. There is no room for peace if you question your decision too late. Adoption is full of choices..........
*Unplanned pregnancy options for women have changed dramatically over the past few decades. While abortion, parenting or adoption have long been unplanned pregnancy options, only more recently has a woman been able to truly make her own choice for an unplanned pregnancy.
*The face of adoption has greatly changed as well. When once a woman chose adoption because she felt she had no other options with unplanned pregnancy, she now gets to make the decision for herself.
*Additionally in the past, pregnant women, pressured to choose adoption, had no say in how their child was raised, let alone had a voice in the adoption plan. Today, women considering adoption have their voices heard throughout the entire process.
*Today's adoption process is very much like a road trip. The birth mother is in the driver's seat, choosing which road to take, how fast to go and is even free to stop and get out of the car whenever she wishes. The adoptive family is in the backseat, going along for the ride with the birth mother but not having any control over the trip itself.
*When considering adoption, the birth mother has a variety of choices to make. Today's birth mothers handpick a family for their child. She has the opportunity to choose everything from a family living on a farm in the country to a family who will raise her child in the excitement of the big city. If she wants her child to grow up in a household with family pets, so be it. If a certain religion is important to her or if she wants her child to grow up with a sibling, it is all her choice.
*In addition to choosing what family to place her child with, today's birth mothers can also choose how much future contact they desire with the adoptive family and their child. Birth mothers can see the child grow up through pictures and letters; some birth mothers may even specify a fully open adoption, which includes the opportunity to visit the child.
*During the adoption process, the birth mother can choose to meet the adoptive family before the baby arrives or may speak with them on the telephone or via email. While at the hospital, she may choose to have the adoptive family present during the birth or may specify that she does not want them there.
*Today's birth mothers are very much in control of their own adoption plan. The choices are hers to make, and her voice is heard.
On the long road to adoption, there are many twists and turns and many routes to choose from. With the birth mother at the wheel, only she decides where the process goes. Everyone else is just along for the ride.
I hope we can turn these number's around. There are so many couples who would give anything to create a family. There is a reason each pregnancy happens but we all have our choices to make in this life. We can't judge each other's choices because we all have different journey's. However, I pray more birth mom's choose to give their child life, and get to experience the feeling of true love and generosity.
