“Death or abortion was not an option for me. While sexual assault was how I became pregnant, I knew that abortion in any situation was an act of murder and against my personal convictions,” Sarah Detrow, a woman who was sexually assaulted, said.

In just the 46 years since abortions were legalized, over 60 million lives have been lost to abortions in the U.S. This number is shocking because there have been less than two million American casualties in every war since 1775.

Abortions were illegal in the United States until 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade decriminalized abortions nationwide.

Many women would argue in favor of abortions because they have a right to do whatever they want with their body. However, when it comes to abortions, another human is involved.

In 2004, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act was passed. In simple terms, this act says that if a pregnant woman was murdered, it would be considered a double homicide because her and the baby die. Why is it considered murder if someone else kills a woman and her baby, but not if she does it herself?

If a person is not ready for the responsibility of having a child, they should not be sexually active or should take precautions to prevent pregnancy. There are several forms of birth control. Most women prefer the pill, which is of no cost with most insurance plans. On the contrary, abortions can cost over $1,000 according to Planned Parenthood.

Many people don’t realize the risks that come with having an abortion. There is a chance that the abortion will fail and the baby could still be carried full term. This could result in the mother and baby having several medical issues. Successful abortions can cause infections, blood clots, heavy bleeding, damage to woman’s reproductive organs and more.

People support abortions because they believe that a high number of women die while pregnant or giving birth; however, this isn’t true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, birth complications aren’t even one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States.

Some believe that in the event of rape, it is socially acceptable to abort the baby because it was not a planned pregnancy. They feel that the child will remind them of the horrific experience so they do not want the baby.

“I give all glory to God, as it is only by my faith in that I was able to allow others to help and to open up my heart to forgive my abuser and heal,” Detrow said.

Detrow was raped at the age of 18 and to her, abortion was not an option. She believed that life begins at the moment of conception and life is 100 percent valued by God and deserves a chance. Although Detrow was able to parent her baby and had help from her family, she struggled with hatred for her abuser and herself for years.

This summer, Detrow will have been married for eight years to her husband, who chose to legally adopt her oldest child six years ago. She says the Lord has given them a natural love for each other that she could have only prayed for.

Another situation where people believe abortion is a good option is when the baby has some type of disability. For example, 67 percent of women who found out they had a Down Syndrome baby chose to abort them.

Frank Stephens, a man with Down Syndrome, is an American disability advocate. He puts emphasis on the fact that people with disabilities deserve to live.

“God didn’t put me in the world to increase suffering. He put me here to increase acceptance. My life is worth living,” Stephens said in an interview with the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.

A survey was sent out to 284 people on the mailing lists of six non-profit Down Syndrome organizations around the country. Nearly 99 percent of people with Down Syndrome indicated that they were happy with their lives. To compare, in 2017, only 33 percent of Americans said that they are overall happy. People with Down Syndrome and other disabilities are some of the happiest people. Why would someone want to end the life of a baby who would grow up to be happy and bring joy to others?

Thirty states practice the death penalty, but many people are trying to abolish this type of punishment due to wanting others to have a second chance. Some of those same people feel that aborting a baby is not the same thing, when in fact it is worse because an infant is innocent of any crime. Taking a baby from the mother’s womb and not giving that child even a first chance to prove themselves is worse than capital punishment. These unborn babies could cure cancer or find world peace.

According to Time.com, women are having as many miscarriages a year as abortions. One in four pregnancies end in miscarriages while around 881,000 abortions took place in the United States during 2017. If those women who choose to abort their babies allowed the women who had miscarriages to adopt, this world would be completely different.

When considering an abortion, women should consider their other options. They should not only focus on themselves, but also the child growing inside of them. It’s not just about the woman’s body; it’s also about the unborn child.