Reproductive experiences—whether abortion, miscarriage, or childbearing—are not just medical or political; they are deeply personal, spiritual, and transformative.
As a mother of four who has been through multiple pregnancies, I’ve found myself in situations requiring quick, life-changing decisions deeply influenced by strong emotions and a reliance on spirituality.
Despite medical guidance and countless discussions with my partner, I spent many nights alone in the dark, contemplating how my choices would impact my life, my family, my faith, and my relationships.
These moments reached the deepest parts of my being, shaping the woman and mother I am today. They have profoundly influenced how I connect with others, especially children.
And, I’ve come to understand that reproductive choices are more than medical decisions—they are spiritual. They intersect with life, death, creation, and the mysteries of existence.
Science, for all its brilliance, can explain the mechanics, but it cannot quantify the emotional and spiritual weight of these moments.
Why, then, do we continue to politicize such sacred experiences?
Why do we allow laws, largely written by people detached from these realities, to dictate the most intimate choices a person can face?
How can we legislate something as complex, as sacred, as women reproductive choices? How can we play God and pretend to know what’s best for another person’s body and soul?
These questions haunt me every time I hear stories of women forced into impossible situations. It’s a conversation many shy away from—perhaps because it’s uncomfortable or feels too overwhelming. But with women’s reproductive rights being taken away. silence, is a form of complicity.
Sacred Choices and Sacred Respect
When a woman makes a decision about her body—whether to terminate a pregnancy or carry it to term—it’s not a casual choice. It’s a sacred exchange between her and something greater: spirit, God, life itself. Whatever the outcome, this process demands respect. But our society struggles with this respect.
Take the case of Savita Halappanavar, a name etched in my memory. Her story still haunts me: a young woman in Ireland, denied a life-saving abortion because of restrictive laws on women’s reproductive rights. The result? A preventable death.
We often talk about protecting life, but do we truly understand what it means to honor life? The law claimed to protect life, but in reality, it robbed Savita of hers. What’s sacred about that?
To me, honoring life means trusting women with the divine responsibility of making their own reproductive decisions. It means understanding that these choices are not made lightly—they are made with love, with fear, with courage, and sometimes, with the weight of the world pressing down.
When lawmakers reduce these sacred decisions to political debates, they disrespect not only women but also the divine mysteries they claim to honor.
The Cost of Forgetting History
What are women’s reproductive rights?
At their core, women’s reproductive rights emcompass access to contraception, abortion, fertility treatments, and reproductive healthcare without interference.
Still, before Roe v. Wade, unsafe abortions were the leading cause of maternal deaths in the United States. Women, desperate and with nowhere to turn, resorted to life-threatening methods because safe medical care was out of reach.
Then Roe v. Wade affirmed that the decision to continue or terminate a pregnancy belongs to the individual—not the government, acknowledging the deeply personal and sacred nature of reproductive choices,
For decades, this precedent was reaffirmed, protecting women’s reproductive rights under the Constitution.
Are women’s reproductive rights still protected by the Constitution?
Today, that answer varies by state. In 2022, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade stripped away these constitutional protections.
The ruling eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion, allowing states to ban or restrict abortion access, leaving millions of women vulnerable to the same perilous conditions that once cost so many lives.
But the truth was never about whether abortions would happen—they always have. The question was whether women would survive them.
And yet, here we are again.
Patriarchal and Religious Dimensions on Reproductive Control
When you strip away the rhetoric surrounding the 2022 Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, an unsettling truth emerges: it was never just about life or morality—it was about power. A patriarchal system, desperate to maintain control.
Think about it, why is the debate on reproduction always centered on restricting women’s choices? Why aren’t we focused on improving healthcare, expanding access to comprehensive sex education, easing the invisible burdens women carry, addressing systemic oppression of women, or ensuring economic stability for families?
History makes one thing clear—controlling reproductive rights has always been a tool to control women. From the forced sterilization of marginalized women in the U.S. to China’s one-child policy, the pattern remains consistent. These laws are not about protecting life; they are about preserving a system that thrives on limiting women’s agency.
Because in the end, it isn’t just about women’s reproductive rights—it’s about autonomy. And that is what power structures fear most.
The Religious and Philosophical Dimensions
Take, for example, the religious freedom and moral arguments often used to justify restrictive reproductive rights. At first glance, they might seem well-intentioned—after all, many religions emphasize the sanctity of life. But dig deeper, and you’ll find contradictions.
If life is truly sacred, why do these laws jeopardize women’s lives? Why do they disproportionately harm low-income women and women of color?
True religious freedom means respecting diverse beliefs—including the belief that reproductive decisions are personal and sacred.
The Real Costs of Restriction
The implications of these laws extends far beyond individual women. They ripple through families, communities, and society at large. In states like Texas, restrictive laws have forced many clinics to close, leaving women—especially those in marginalized communities—with few options. Some travel hundreds of miles for care; others risk unsafe procedures.
Immigrant women often leave repressive societies for America, drawn by the promise of freedom and justice. Yet, it’s disheartening to realize that these promises can be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. While such laws are fading in the societies they fled, they are intensifying in a country that claims to offer a better alternative.
Take Talia, a friend and fellow immigrant, who had to make the heartbreaking decision to terminate a pregnancy to save her life. It wasn’t a choice anyone would envy, but it was hers to make. She chose to live—for herself and her family. Unable to access care in the U.S., she traveled back to her home country, where she was treated with care, respect, and compassion.
This isn’t just about access—it’s about equality. A society that denies women control over their own bodies undermines its own values of freedom and justice.
Stories of Resilience and Choice
Talia’s story is not unique, but it’s rarely told. Instead, the narratives we hear are politicized, stripped of humanity, and reduced to talking points. But behind every statistic is a woman like Talia—a woman grappling with profound, sacred decisions.
Consider Kate Cox’s story, facing a life-threatening pregnancy, chose to leave the state of Texas to seek the necessary medical care that allows her to care for the children she already had. Her decision wasn’t made lightly-it was made with love, courage, and deep reflection. Shouldn’t we honor that?
And then there’s Mary. Yes, that Mary. The mother of Jesus.
Think about her story for a moment. She was a young woman faced with an extraordinary, divine message: to carry a child under miraculous circumstances. Her decision was deeply personal, profoundly spiritual, and—by today’s standards—radically autonomous.
If we celebrate Mary for her grace and courage, why can’t we extend the same grace to all women?
Honoring the Sacred in Every Woman
Wome’s reproductive freedom isn’t just about rights. It’s about honoring the sacredness of life, the mystery of creation, and the humanity of women.
As I reflect on Talia’s courage, Mary’s grace, Savita’s tragedy, I am reminded of the unwavering strength of women. Their choices, their lives, are sacred. Our laws and our society must reflect that truth that respecting a woman’s autonomy, affirms the divine forces at work in her life.
A Call for Compassion
We often speak of compassion in abstract terms, but what does it look like in practice? It looks like trusting women. It looks like ensuring access to safe, affordable healthcare. It looks like recognizing the complexity and sacredness of reproductive decisions without judgment.
Compassion means action. It means organizations like the Center for Reproductive Rights and their allies fighting to block harmful bans and protect access to care.
It means states stepping up to expand women’s reproductive rights through legal protections. It means individuals contributing to movements that safeguard women’s autonomy.
Because, at its core, this debate is not just about reproductive rights—it’s about the kind of society we choose to build.
Do we impose control, dictating women’s futures under the guise of morality? Or do we honor the sacred in every woman’s journey, allowing her the dignity of choice?
Your Voice Matters
If this resonates with you, share your thoughts. Leave a comment. Share posts like this. Subscribe to the Ms. Normal newsletter for more unfiltered stories of survival, resilience, and empowerment. Together, we can turn these tragedies into catalysts for change.
Consider supporting women’s reproductive rights by donating to these impactful organizations:
- Center for Reproductive Rights: Protects reproductive rights as fundamental human rights
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America delivers vital reproductive healthcare, sex education and information to millions of people
- NARAL Pro-Choice American Foundation: Fights for reproductive freedom for every person in every state
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Works to end harassment at and outside abortion clinics
- Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP): Assists women who are financially unable to pay for safe, legal abortions
