Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the guest author. Live Action News has made minor edits for clarity.
On November 19, 2023, I went for a routine 20-week ultrasound for our seventh child. We found out we were having a little boy, and named him Judah.
As soon as my doctor walked in, I could tell by her face that something was terribly wrong. She said there was no easy way to tell me, but our baby had spina bifida.
I called and told my husband that Baby Judah had a birth defect, and he immediately knew that God had created him differently — he is not disabled or damaged, but different! We just had so much peace and knew that Judah was exactly who God created him to be!
READ: Pressured to abort one baby with spina bifida and one with Trisomy 18, they trusted God instead
Judah was officially diagnosed with myelomeningocele, which is the most severe form of spina bifida. Two days later they had me see a “specialist.” The specialist was located at what was supposedly the leading maternal and fetal medical clinic in the Grand Rapids area.
After a long ultrasound, the doctor came in and presented me with my “options” to make regarding this pregnancy — as if it wasn’t my son, whom I already loved so much.
There were three options: prenatal surgery (that presented many dangers for mom), keep the pregnancy, or — the only decision she was really focused on — ‘terminating’ the pregnancy.
She tried so hard to convince me that Judah would be severely brain damaged and that his quality of life would be terrible. The humane thing to do was end the pregnancy and try again, according to her.
Photo courtesy of Laurynn Mueller. Do not reprint.
Then she tried to convince me that my quality of life would be “impacted” — which was crazy to me. Then she went for the lowest option, and tried to convince me that I already had six “healthy” children, and it would affect their quality of life to have a brother with a disability — as if murdering their brother would be helpful in some way.
After I told her I didn’t want to hear anything else she had to say, she said that was my right — as if I wasn’t already aware. The office then proceeded to call me daily to make sure I hadn’t changed my mind.
I was horrified that a place that claims to take care of mothers and babies was really just a glorified abortion clinic — and to them, my baby wasn’t a baby; he was just a disabled fetus that we’d all be better off without.
Judah and his mother (photo courtesy of Laurynn Mueller. Do not reprint.)
I was assured for the next four months to be prepared, because he would be severely brain damaged, paralyzed, would not be able to go the bathroom on his own, and would have severe health problems for the rest of his life.
They repeatedly told me I was “not normal” because I wasn’t scared. I knew God had a great plan for Judah!
On March 18, 2024, we welcomed little Judah into this world, and he is absolutely amazing!
He came out with a bubble on his back and required a surgery to repair it when he was two days old. Since his birth, he has blown the doctors away and proved them all wrong! He has movement in his legs, full bowel and bladder function, and his brain is perfectly fine! He is an absolute miracle, defying every diagnosis!
I have learned that 63% of babies who are diagnosed with spina bifida are aborted, and that breaks my heart! Even if a baby has a defect, his or her life is so valuable — and who are we to say who has a chance to live or die?
Women are being lied to and babies are being murdered because God has created them differently — not disabled or defected, but different!
