What If the Mother Will Die?

When the United States Supreme Court stamped abortion with constitutional protection in 1973 (Roe v. Wade), it was under the guise of “health of the mother”. In the five decades that ensued, this umbrella clause gave warrant to over 63 million abortions across the country. As it turns out, a woman’s “health” is apparently integral to every part of her life (like... academic health, athletic health, social health, emotional health, economic health, relational health, professional health, physiological health, recreational health, physical health, etc.) to the point that any abortion whatsoever can be classified as protecting the “health of the mother”.

But what about when the life of a woman is legitimately at stake in her pregnancy? What choice does a follower of Jesus have when a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother?

To put a finer point on the question: how does the Bible help us navigate this profoundly difficult situation? If Christians (rightly) base their pro-life beliefs on the biblical principles of the sanctity of every human life, then we should continue looking at God’s Word when faced with the heart-wrenching decision of ending the life of an unborn child in order to save the life of the mother.

So, here’s the question: does the Bible have a category for taking an innocent life in order to save the life of another?
 
The first thing to note is that these cases are extremely rare. It’s tricky to nail down an exact percentage of abortions that are done to save the life of the mother, but most studies estimate less than 1% (some reports say as low as .006%). In other words, the vast majority of abortions are not done to save the life of another. Therefore, this particular question has never been the dividing line between pro-life and pro-choice advocates over the past five decades. 99% of abortions have been about something “other” than saving the life of the mother.

However, in our fallen world, there are times when we are faced with the soul-serrating reality of a life-or-death pregnancy. Most often, this involves an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus), but there are also other physical conditions that can be life-threatening to the mother and/or child (e.g., maternal cancer, lung conditions such as COPD, a weakened heart that could likely stop beating during delivery, etc.).
 
When a mother is faced with this life-or-death decision, there are two biblical principles that I think are really important.

A person’s intent is just as important in the spiritual realm as it is in the legal and medical realm. The Bible says that people look at our actions, but God sees our heart (1 Sam. 16:7). While people see our deeds, God sees our desire. People see the “what,” but God knows the “why.” And that’s really important.

When the baby in the womb dies as a result of abortion (i.e., the intent is to kill), the Bible calls it murder (Psalm 127:3; Exod. 20:13). However, when the baby in the womb dies in a medical attempt to save the mother’s life (i.e., the intent is to save), the Bible does NOT call it murder. The mother’s life is no less valuable than the life inside her womb (Gen. 1:27; Psalm 139:13-17; Rom. 2:11). Thus, the desire and consequential action of saving the mother’s life are both a reflection of God’s heart. When the baby dies as a result of trying to save the mother’s life, the intent is to protect what God has created, and that is precious in His sight (1 Cor. 10:31).

For example, “in the case of removing an ectopic pregnancy, the death is an accidental and not an intended consequence of the act to save the mother. Knowledge of consequences that will result from committing an action is not the same as intending those consequences. But if they had the technology to save this child outside the womb, they should do so, and this has been done with emergency c-section plus incubation” (Jonathan Sarfati, Ph.D.).

Of course, no two pregnancies are exactly the same, and there are times when the decisions are extremely complex with no clear answers. These situations ought to bring God’s people to their knees in prayerful desperation for His wisdom (James 1:5). But no matter what decision the mother makes (whether to proceed with the pregnancy or to proactively seek to save her own life), her decision must be motivated by a desire to save and not to kill.

I think the story of the Gospel also speaks into this decision. Perhaps the most famous sentence in the history of Christianity is this: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...” (John 3:16). God the Father willingly sacrificed His Son (who was completely innocent) in order to save His people from certain death (Isa. 53:10). My only hope for life was in the sacrificial death of one who was completely innocent, and the triune God made that decision on my behalf (Rev. 13:8). There was no other way to save me. Christ’s death is my life (1 Thess. 5:10).

So, if the only way to save one life is through the death of another, there is one in Heaven who can identify with both the mother and the child.

For those who are forced to make this emotionally devastating decision, know this:

1. The Father loves you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3).
2. He is holding onto your baby even when you cannot (Psalm 68:5; 2 Sam. 12:23).
3. None of your tears are lost to Him (Psalm 56:8).
4. He is for you and not against you (Rom. 8:31).
5. He has never abandoned you, and He never will (Heb. 13:5).
6. He knows how you feel (Heb. 4:15).
7. And He has promised to redeem your sorrow in ways that you cannot even imagine now (Rom 8:28; Joel 2:25).

“When you cannot trace His hand...trust His heart.”
~ C. H. Spurgeon