In using her
platform as Mrs Singapore Universe 2019, the writer not only gives a voice to
women who have suffered silently the loss of a child through miscarriage, she
also lends a voice to the truly voiceless- the unborn (“As Mrs SingaporeUniverse, I want to talk about how I cope with my miscarriage”; 6 Sep).
While in her
womb, the writer’s 17-week-old son was fully-formed with paper-thin skin, 10
fingers, 10 toes, and long skinny limbs. Whether the child was medically viable
to survive outside the womb or would have any form of disability, the humanity
of her son cannot be denied.
I agree with the
writer that there is no better place for a baby than in the arms of his mother.
I share her
grief, that the death of a loved one is like the amputation of a limb. My world
crashed when I lost my beloved mother to cancer in my teenage years. I have
great respect for the love of fathers and mothers towards their children.
We can bury a
dead body but we cannot bury the fond memories.
Every child is
unique and no other child born thereafter can replace him. The child who died
will always be a treasured member of the family.
A miscarriage is
the natural death of an embryo or foetus before it is able to survive
independently, usually in the first 12 weeks. It is estimated that one in four
to six pregnancies end in a miscarriage.
What about
mothers who suffer trauma from aborting their children?
Research has
shown that a woman who undergoes an abortion is six times more likely to commit
suicide, 30% more likely to suffer from depression and 25% more likely to
suffer from anxiety compared to a woman who gives birth.
Who will render
help to women who are silenced by abortion regrets, guilt and shame?
Whether it is a
miscarriage or an abortion, a precious life is lost.
Every child has
intrinsic value and dignity. No outer circumstances can make a child lose his
right to life.
The birth of a
child should be widely-celebrated and the loss of a child should be spoken of and
remembered.
