What Do We Call an Aborted Child?

When did we start to question a child's identity and dignity as a human being?

When asked about abortion, many people today simply see a lump of cells that can easily be removed from a woman’s body.

Just a group of cells, not even a body. And not a human being with a body and soul.

How did we come to this? How did we ever arrive at an age where we would even question what it is that’s inside a pregnant woman’s womb?

I think that even non-Christian people in the past could clearly see that what’s within a mother’s womb is her child, her own child meant to be protected, nourished and loved.

The child may not be seen yet with our naked eyes, but we can hear his or her heartbeat. The mother can also feel the child’s movement inside of her. And everyone else wants to do something just so that this child can be delivered safely into the world.

In this time of confusion, however, we even question the identity of this child. Is it a human being or a potential human being? Since its thoughts cannot be heard, does it even have a right?

We always hear people talking about choice. But no one ever asks, “What would have been the choice of this child?”

Could she have wanted to live? Could she have longed to see the face of her mother? Could she have been willing to undergo the many pains of life so that she may also see its beauty?

But that child’s fate had been decided by those who never thought about her true identity.

To these people, including her own mother, what had she been thought of as?

A group of cells? Tumors? A mistake? A burden?

What are the words that could possibly describe this child?

Abandoned? Unwanted? Discarded?

We read in the Bible when God said:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you…”
-Jeremiah 1:5 (NRSVCE)

“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands…”
-Isaiah 49:15:16 (NRSVCE)

The child in the womb is a human being with a separate identity from the mother.

She may not be seen yet as someone who can take care of herself, but when did we ever classify people according to our ability to take care of ourselves?

Must the sick be eliminated from this world? Must the weak be extinguished from our society?

Of course not! Every human being has a God-given dignity that no one can ever take away.

When Elizabeth was visited by Mary, she attested to the fact that what’s within their wombs are children, children who can even leap for joy!

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.’” – Luke 1:41-44 (NRSVCE)

“The child is God’s gift to the family. Each child is created in the special image and likeness of God for greater things — to love and to be loved.”- Mother Teresa

Chiara Corbella Petrillo, an Italian public speaker who is now a Servant of God was once offended by some people’s words when she was pregnant with her first child who has a medical condition. Although they meant no harm, some would remark from time to time that the important thing is that the child is healthy. To this, she would sometimes respond, “What if she is not?”

“Chiara and Enrico felt offended because they were proud of Maria Grazia Letizia just as she was. [There was] no error in creating her. They did not think that she should be different; she was perfect for eternity.” - Chiara Corbella Petrillo: A Witness to Joy

In the end, Maria Grazia Letizia died about half an hour after birth. But Chiara never regretted carrying on her pregnancy.

“He has given us a truly noble task; the care of a marvelous creature that many others would have hated and thrown away, left forgotten in a wastebasket in some hospital.” - Chiara Corbella Petrillo: A Witness to Joy

Chiara’s child was blessed to have been allowed to be born. But many others have suffered the fate of not even being given a name.

“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more.”
-Jeremiah 31:15 (NRSVCE)

Nevertheless, all these children bear the dignity of God’s image.

Their cries reach the ears of the Father who cares for all their woes.

The world may call them unfortunate, forsaken or even less than a complete person. But in God’s eyes, they are His and they shall always be remembered.

What do we call these little ones? They are God’s beloved children.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” - Matthew 19:14 (NRSVCE)

I would like to share with you a poem I wrote for all the mother who have ever lost their children:

In Memory of an Unborn Child

I wish I took a picture of you
while you were still
within my womb…
There, where your heartbeat
was still joined with mine,
There, where your blood
flowed through my very veins.

I wish I saw your face
before an angel took you away…
Maybe then I could have recognized
my eyes in your eyes,
or my lips in your lips.
I could have seen your peace,
I could have memorized your smile.

But now all that I have
are memories of those days
when I felt you living within me,
when I let you hear,
my broken lullabies…
Confident that I’d see
and that I’d hear your little cries.

Now all that I have
are faded dreams of you…
Dreams of you growing up
and walking towards me,
stumbling and trying,
and falling back
into my arms.

I could have known you more,
I could have been
your Mom much longer.
But now I know
I’d never cease to be a mother,
and you’ll stay for as long as I can remember
those priceless moments that I had with you.

Jocelyn Soriano wrote the books 366 Days of Compassion, To Love an Invisible God, and Defending My Catholic Faith. To support Jocelyn in her “full-time mission” as a Catholic writer, please consider subscribing, upgrading your subscription, buying her books or giving her a tip via Ko-fi.

I also found this touching song about an aborted child. You may want to watch the video with lyrics below: