The tragic abortion death of Jennifer Morbelli and her 8-month-old baby girl has brought new attention to the issue of aborting babies with disabilities.

According to reports, Morbelli and her husband were looking forward to the birth of their baby girl. Then, doctors discovered problems with the baby’s brain. The couple decided to have a late-term abortion. Sadly, both mother and child died as a result of the procedure.

While we don’t know the details about the Morbelli family’s situation, we do know that many families feel pressured into having abortions when their baby has a disability.

Peter Saunders, a pro-life doctor from the UK, relates the concerns he heard from families and advocates during a government inquiry about abortion and people with disabilities:

“First, there seemed to be very little support or information available for families who wanted to keep their babies, as opposed to having them aborted.

“Second, there was a strong presumption from doctors that parents with disabled children would choose to have them aborted.

“Third, there was a huge amount of subtle or direct pressure placed on parents who decided not to abort. They were repeatedly asked to reconsider their decisions and treated like pariahs – in short they were discriminated against.”

Fortunately, many parents are now sharing their stories about raising a child with a disability and encouraging others to do the same. Check out some of their stories:

• Doctors said Riley had no chance of survival and urged his parents to abort him. They refused. Riley was born with several serious medical issues, but he fought for his life. Read the rest of his incredible story here.
• Adeline was given a one-in-ten chance of surviving birth after being diagnosed with multiple birth defects. After her parents were pressured by doctors to abort her, they decided to get a second opinion. Find out what happened here.
• Benedict lived for only 24 hours after he was born. But his mother made the most of the short time she had to spend with him. Read more here.
• Chloe was born with Down Syndrome in 2003. Today, she and her dad are on a mission to teach the world about the abilities of people with Down Syndrome. Read more here about her incredible life.

These stories remind us of why there is always a reason to choose life!