Renee Young and Simon Howie
Refusing Moral Hypocrisy, Parents Refuse to Abort Baby With 2 Faces
Doctors want to put a premature end to their unborn baby's life, but one Australian couple refuses to take this hypocritical action just because their bundle of joy has two faces—and two brains. That Australian couple, Renee Young and Simon Howie, are my pro-life heroes this week.
The parents were admittedly shocked when an ultrasound revealed their twin baby girls were actually one baby with two faces and two brains. A 3-D ultrasound shows the baby has only two legs, two arms and one body.
Who wouldn’t be shocked and upset? That’s a natural reaction. But when doctors called for an abortion “because it would be looked upon by the public as a freak,” the couple stood on the side of life—and love—saying they would give birth to their baby and surround it with “people who love it.”
No baby has ever survived this condition, known as craniofacial hyperhidrosis or diprosopus (only 35 cases of the rare form of conjoined twins have ever been recorded), but this brave couple is nevertheless choosing life.
There was no mention of God in their story, yet A Current Affair titled its segment “Miracle Baby.” And when asked if they had a religious or moral objection to abortion, Howie said his objection was moral. But I, for one, am convinced God is in this mix!
“It’d be the same as being a child with autism or Down syndrome,” Howie told A Current Affair. “I don’t believe in terminating the baby if it’s healthy and growing fine, and everything is going to plan.”
Doctors told the couple their baby would be a “freak,” but the couple's sense of right and wrong is guiding them to choose life—even if the baby’s life turns out to be short. And who knows? Maybe it really will be a miracle baby. Is anything too hard for God? No, God can do a miracle in the womb. Why not give Him a chance? Can you imagine the impact a miracle of that magnitude could have on the pro-abortion movement that likes to terminate if babies are defected (or even an undesired sex)?
“If I only get two days with the baby, I only get two days with the baby," Young, now 19 weeks pregnant, told A Current Affair. "At least I have some time with it. That’s just the time we actually get to spend with the baby and its brothers and sisters get to meet their little brother or sister.”
It appears that the parents are neither on-fire Christians nor married, but they are still choosing life in an era that is largely focused on death. (Some commenters, for example, have even suggested euthanizing the baby as soon as it is born.) This couple is showing a dark world that you don’t have to be a Bible-toting, churchgoing, pro-life-sign-carrying Christian to celebrate life. You just have to respect the sanctity of life.
I am not sure why God allows these sorts of trials, but we know that if God doesn’t perform a miracle, the baby girl will go on to be with the Lord. We know that these parents are expressing love and the will of God despite no mention of His name. We know that God is getting glory out of this story as the parents choose to go against traditional medical advice for the sake of life and love.
And I believe that some scared, pregnant mother somewhere may just hear this story and decide to keep their perfectly healthy baby. I believe this couple’s story will give courage and inspiration to young women who are considering an abortion. I believe God will work the story of the so-called “miracle baby” out in conformity to the purpose of His will (Phil. 2:13). Even Howie said he had “hope and a little faith.” Ms. Young and Mr. Howie, God bless you!
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email from CHARISMA MAGAZINE.
