President Biden’s invitation of Kate Cox to the State of the Union address is par for the course. It’s no surprise that this radically pro-abortion administration would use a family’s horrible pregnancy scenario as justification for abortion on demand.
But as the mother of a child who received a prenatal diagnosis, I have been in her shoes and have experienced the rush of emotions that come at that moment, and I know that abortion does not have to be the answer.
The Biden administration’s support for abortion rights is clear, but the decision to invite Cox — who left Texas to abort a baby girl with trisomy 18 after being denied an abortion under state law — underscores a troubling trend: the manipulation of narratives to serve ideological agendas. President Biden and his handlers think abortion is a winning issue for this election year. They’ll do anything to keep it in the spotlight.
While Cox’s situation has been framed as a battle for reproductive rights, the reality is that her pregnancy did not endanger her life. And if it had, her physician was already empowered by the state to provide her with any necessary treatment. Exploiting her story to advance an abortion agenda risks disregarding the complexity of the issue and the dignity of every human life involved.
I understand this complexity firsthand. In March 2008, my husband and I had a routine 20-week pregnancy appointment. It was here that we learned our daughter had a rare birth defect that would spiral us into a medical journey requiring multiple prenatal appointments each week. She was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a hole in her diaphragm that allowed for her stomach, small intestine, spleen and liver to shift her heart and grow within her chest cavity, hindering the growth of her lungs. Depending on the source, there is a 30-90 percent mortality rate.
It was the hardest time in our lives.
We became numb to the pregnancy, moving from appointment to appointment like robots and not having the motivation to register for baby items. Had we not been surrounded by life-affirming doctors guiding us and giving us realistic, yet hopeful feedback, I don’t know what we would have done. I am grateful they did not give up on our daughter or make abortion seem like the “compassionate” option in this delicate time. It was through their steady confidence that we were able to plan for the coming of our baby. We tapped into all the resources available to us — a tour of the NICU, consultations with lead surgeons, and a variety of tests — so we could be fully prepared.
Far too often, healthcare professionals swiftly offer abortion when a pregnancy does not progress according to plan. Our life-affirming healthcare providers took a different route, doing the hard work of helping us plan for a difficult and complex process, no matter how the birth went.
On the day of her birth via cesarean section, there were about four doctors in the room for me and another 11 just to care for my baby girl. We chose the hospital closest to our Children’s Hospital downtown so that my husband and family could easily move along with the doctors to be with our daughter.
Because her organs hindered the growth of her lungs, we were told we probably wouldn’t hear her cry. Boy, did she prove them wrong! My OB/GYN was pleasantly surprised when she cried as soon as that cold air touched her.
We had just 11 minutes with her in the first hospital. And even if that had been all we got, it still would’ve been worth all the anxiety and all the pain of labor.
During those 11 minutes, we couldn’t hold her because she was in a transport device, but we could touch her. Then she was taken to the Children’s Hospital while I remained in the maternity ward.
My daughter had surgery at one week old to move her organs into their proper location and have a patch placed on her diaphragm. Today, she is a sophomore in high school and is on the crew team. And while she has bouts of asthma, she doesn’t let it hold her down. She was born with a determination that has remained throughout her life and will serve her well in the future.
Our experience highlights the importance of acknowledging the realities of prenatal diagnoses and the need for compassionate support for families facing difficult decisions through resources like PrenatalDiagnosis.org. Every day, families grapple with the uncertainty of such diagnoses, and it is crucial that they are met with empathy and understanding, instead of being exploited for political gain.
The focus on Cox’s story should not overshadow the broader context of life-affirming policies and resources available to support expectant mothers and their children. As debates rage on about abortion rights, we must remember that alternatives exist — options rooted in compassion, support, and respect for life at every stage.
Biden inviting Kate Cox should serve as a catalyst for reflection and action. Don’t allow the noise of political agendas to drown out the voices of those who deserve to be heard — the voices of families, mothers, and children. Every life has value, and it’s time we uphold that truth with integrity and compassion.
Andrea Trudden is vice president of communications and marketing for Heartbeat International.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.