Christina's Carpet Bag: October 2024

First, I give credit to unknown publisher on Facebook for this beautiful depiction.

This is a time of high emotions and hot-button topics. I feel we need to address some major points that will affect every family in some way. This discussion is not just about your freedoms, healthcare, or the identity of the youngest citizens of our country. It is fundamentally about whether you will be well-informed and investigate the truth to the point that you know in your heart why you stand on the box you do.

I am asking you not to look solely into yourself for direction. I am asking you not to focus on being your best self, following your heart, believing in yourself, or even living your truth. These ideas promote self-talk for living your best authentic life—again, "authentic" finds its root in the Greek word for self, "auto." This same idea can justify any action as acceptable according to "my truth," which can shift based on my current feelings and perceptions. I urge you to consider the facts and reflect on the legacy you will leave in this world.

Let’s start with the most current argument being presented: Women need abortions to have quality healthcare. We must remember what the term "abortion" truly refers to—it is not about spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, but the intentional and elective termination of an unborn child.

According to the Ohio Revised Code 2919.15, "Dismemberment abortion" means, with the purpose of causing the death of an unborn child, to dismember a living unborn child and extract it piece by piece from the uterus using clamps, grasping forceps, tongs, scissors, or similar instruments. "Dismemberment abortion" does not include procedures performed after the death of the unborn child to extract any remaining parts. I recognize this language may seem graphic and unpleasant. I have taken extra time writing this article due to the sensitive nature of this topic. We must address it honestly and frankly, calling it what it is.

We will look at differing abortions and another topic which is not being discussed, the various HCPCS codes which identify medical procedures. These are billing codes which clarify the exact procedure in which it is being performed and being billed for. This will confirm there are differences, and the kinds of abortions performed. Yes, there are late term abortions performed in various states. As you can note, the argument of confusion of coding for a Dilation and Curettage for a medical non pregnant woman is similar to those of a pregnant woman. However, these codes are very different and are discriminated against and billed very differently. Therefore, the argument all abortions need to be legal to allow for the medical care of woman health at risk is misleading. There are detailed and different coding for just about any procedure which may come to play in the true concern for the health of a mother. Anthem Blue Cross even has definitions and coding which will allow for special circumstances. However, when a mother no longer wants a child, and the doctor knows the child is viable is when problems may arise.

We should further clarify our definitions regarding abortion. A miscarriage is a spontaneous ending of pregnancy, a natural occurrence early in gestation. A threatened abortion refers to a situation where there is a risk of miscarriage, often indicated by bleeding. In contrast, elective abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies were not previously classified as abortions until this controversy gained prominence.

An ectopic pregnancy involves the removal of a child from a fallopian tube to save the mother’s life; it is not an intentional act of killing the child. This distinction is important, as a child in the fallopian tube cannot come to full term. Some argue that when a D&C (dilation and curettage) is performed after a miscarriage, it constitutes an abortion. Historically, this was not the case. A D&C after a miscarriage is not an abortion, as the baby is already deceased, and the procedure merely helps the body expel the pregnancy.

This confusion has arisen with the renewed push to legalize abortion. The misinformation spread by pro-abortion advocates is frustrating, as many viral stories are twisted, equating the intentional killing of a baby with situations where the baby has already passed away. We can never know all the facts in these situations, but we must critically evaluate what is known. We know some women seek abortions, but fetal testing is not always definitive—it indicates a major possibility of issues rather than certainties. When medically necessary procedures arise, maternal-fetal medicine specialists or perinatologists work alongside OB/GYNs to monitor high-risk pregnancies, providing guidance and ultrasounds to extend the pregnancy as far as possible before delivery.

I ask you to consider which scenario has far greater consequences: delivering a baby early when the mother’s life is truly at risk, or injecting medication to slow the baby's heart rate until it stops, followed by inducing labor for a deceased child, or dismembering the baby inside the mother. Both procedures cause trauma to the mother’s body yet delivering a baby who cannot survive allows the family to grieve and memorialize their loss, rather than discarding the baby as medical waste.

We should also discuss the various HCPCS codes identifying medical procedures. These billing codes clarify the exact procedures performed and reveal the distinctions between different types of abortions. Yes, late-term abortions occur in various states. However, the confusion over coding for D&C procedures among non-pregnant women is misleading. Detailed coding exists for any medical concern related to a mother’s health. Insurance providers like Anthem Blue Cross offer definitions and coding for special circumstances.

The real issue arises when a mother no longer wants a child, yet the child is viable. At this point, we face a decision: Should we allow a mother to terminate her child’s life simply because she no longer wants it? Would we allow a mother to kill a 2-year-old child? What is the difference?

We must not overlook the new procedure of medication abortions, which use two pills: mifepristone, taken first to block hormones supporting the pregnancy, and misoprostol, which causes the uterus to empty. According to the FDA, this method is considered safe up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, although extreme bleeding is a growing concern.

My point is that I had not fully considered the number of abortions performed this way. Currently, around 93% of all abortions occur during the first trimester, and medication abortions now outnumber surgical abortions, accounting for as much as 56%.

Next, let’s consider the argument that a fetus is not a human and thus does not possess the rights of life, which supposedly grants the mother the full right to end the life of the unborn child. I refer again to the Ohio and national revised codes of law. Consider a scenario in which a mother is in a car accident and loses her unborn child. If both mother and child die, the surviving family members may seek justice for the loss in a trial for vehicular manslaughter. But if the mother did not want the child, she could terminate the pregnancy without consequences. We cannot have it both ways: Either the mother and the driver committed murder, or neither did.

Do citizens have the right to terminate the lives of post-natal humans who may be unconscious, immobile, dependent on medical care, or unviable outside of hospital care?

Another example, if a mother has been raped and is traumatized, should we ethically terminate her other children because they remind her of the abusive father? Shouldn’t we support the mother in healing instead? Children can bring joy and blessings to a family, often aiding in healing. Additionally, if a woman feels overwhelmed by the burden of caring for an ailing parent, does she have the right to seek help to end her mother’s life? This raises ethical questions worth contemplating.

Now, consider the argument regarding the right to control one’s own body. Morality is subjective, and individuals can define “right” and “wrong” for themselves. This is why laws are essential; they provide standards for what is right and wrong. Without them, we face chaos, where everyone acts according to their own interpretation of morality. We see this vividly in the commercials for Haiti and other developing countries.

The scientific reality is that a fertilized egg, resulting from the union of sperm and egg, is a unique combination of DNA, signifying the creation of a new human being. No new information is needed after this union; the repeated division of cells builds a separate body. Even though this is a body within a body, the growing child is distinct, possessing DNA from both the father and mother. The child is never identical to the mother’s DNA, as evidenced by differences like XY versus XX. While the child relies on the mother for nutrition, this dependency continues even after birth. Thus, we must ask ourselves: Does the mother have the right to destroy a body within her own body? Does she have the right to kill herself? Is suicide legal or acceptable? What is the difference, other than location?

I have presented all the facts. I hope you are critically contemplating what is truly at stake regarding the future of our country and its youngest citizens.

My thoughts remain rooted in the value of human life. I respect, value, and honor all human life because I understand our origins. Our world was created for the entirety of human existence. We were made in the image of a Creator who has chosen to love us despite our flaws, mistakes, and even the acts of violence committed in the name of selfish desires.