Do babies conceived by mothers on the Pill have weaknesses or abnormalities?

Question from a reader:

I was wondering if born babies conceived by mothers on the Pill have any weaknesses or abnormalities since they grew in a compromised womb, or, to use you analogy, poor soil. 

Answer from Jessica Farnsworth, M.D.:

Pregnancies conceived while on the pill or shortly after stopping the pill have an increased risk of miscarriage.  The question seems to be: What is the teratogenic (ability of a substance to cause a defect in a baby) potential of birth control pills?  The older, higher doses of birth control pills were associated with several birth defects.  Now that ...

What do you think is the biggest obstacle for Christians to overcome in facing the abortion issue?

We struggle to dispel the illusion that grace means that we should not talk about the hard issues. Our doctrine of grace has been distorted by the culture’s dogma of tolerance. A number of Christians have told me, “I think it’s cruel to bring up the subject of abortion.” Does that also apply to adultery? Stealing? Murder? By talking about abortion now in our churches—with grace and truth—aren’t we helping to prevent abortion and offering forgiveness and healing to women and men who are suffering in silence? We must model how to address the painful ...

Q&A: Supporting Pregnancy Resource Centers

These questions are excerpted from an interview with Larry Gadbaugh, CEO of Portland (Oregon) Pregnancy Resource Center.

You were a busy pastor back in 1984. Why did you get involved in helping a pregnancy resource center get established in Portland?

God was preparing Nanci and me back in 1980. We opened our home to a pregnant teenager who previously had a late-term saline abortion. She lived with us almost a year, had her baby and placed him up for adoption. 

What is the most impactful thing a Christian can do to break the cycle of abortion?

First, make yourself aware of the need that unplanned pregnancy and abortion creates. When you give your time to learn about abortion, abstinence, adoption, and caring for needy women, you can pray for divine appointments where God can use you to make a difference in people’s lives. 

Randy Alcorn on the Sanctity of Human Life 2012 (audio and video)

Randy Alcorn presents a message from Scripture—and from the heart—about the value of human life and injustice of abortion. Filmed January 15, 2012 at Good Shepherd Community Church in Boring, Oregon.