“It’s only a blood clot,” Carol said as she waited for her sonogram. She refused to believe otherwise because if she did, she would have to believe the truth: that a baby was growing inside her.
Carol wanted an abortion. The father of her 4-year-old son didn’t want another baby.
But in a moment, one look at her over 10-week-old baby jumping and waving at her on the monitor, Carol stopped, looked up, and said, “I won’t kill my baby, I won’t kill my baby.” His heartbeat rang in her ears and in that moment Carol broke the stronghold and said “yes” to life.
Forever Changed
“Laura” decided to go to a pregnancy clinic in Illinois for a pregnancy test and ultrasound. Emotions ran high as fear consumed her thoughts. She had no intention of changing her life. She had every intention of continuing as a full-time student and a part-time employee. Laura had big plans for her future. Having a baby was not on her agenda. Her only choice was to abort her baby.
As Laura sat in the pregnancy clinic wrestling with decisions and discussing options with a caring patient advocate, she was encouraged to proceed with her career goals, even if it meant taking longer to accomplish them.
Moments later, everything changed. Just one ultrasound. One ultrasound revealed to Laura the tiny life that was inside of her, and it had a profound effect on her.
As she looked at the monitor, her heart softened. Thoughts of abortion crept out of her mind. Instead, she was consumed by thoughts of telling her boyfriend she wanted to have the baby. One moment, one ultrasound, changed her world and the world of the baby boy she recently delivered.
Sometimes a Dad Needs to See
April didn’t want an abortion, but her boyfriend of five years didn’t want her to keep the baby and she was vulnerable to his influence.
April and Zach were quiet as they started their ultrasound, but they were obviously moved as the sound of their baby’s heartbeat steadily revealed the life within her.
It was a joyful scene in the exam room that day as April and Zach’s tears in their eyes reflected the change that was specifically happening in Zach’s heart. The two began to laugh and talk about how they would share their happy news with Zach’s family the next day at Sunday dinner.
“All I want to do now is be a good father!” Zach said.
