Both Lives @BothLives

Dawn McAvoy, Both Lives UK lead, comments on two proposed private members’ bills seeking to address failings in abortion systems and care. Read the full article here: eauk.org/news-and-views…

🎧S2E8 - Why is motherhood unappealing to so many young women today? A conversation with Anna Iliescu This week, Dawn and Lisa are joined by former @EAUKnews associate, Anna Iliescu to discuss her article, ‘Why is motherhood unappealing to so many young women today?’ Together they explore why so many women feel fearful or unqualified for motherhood and reflect on how the church can tell a better story for both lives in pregnancy and motherhood, pre and post birth. 🔍Both Lives Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean and Youtube, or listen here: podfollow.com/1838921586

📢 FACT: Surrogacy exploits women and commodifies children. This week at a UN event, many states including Italy, Cameroon, Chile and the Holy See, condemned the practice and called for an international moratorium on surrogacy. 👇More from @EWTNews

"It is devastating to hear that hundreds of mums and babies need not have died or been harmed - and now we know this tragedy could have been prevented. This review vindicates families, confirming their sense of betrayal and the questions they have long asked. But their pain and loss remain, and vindication offers only small comfort. Across the country, trust between pregnant women, their partners and the healthcare professionals responsible for their care has been damaged. Unless that trust is rebuilt, lives remain at risk. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by what this review has revealed and confirmed. Women, babies and families across the UK deserve to know they are safe and cared for. Healthcare staff must be supported and equipped to provide the care they know is necessary and possible. This must mark a turning point for both lives - before and after birth." - Dawn McAvoy, Both Lives UK lead Image source: bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2ey…

A Baby Loss Certificate Scheme is now available in Northern Ireland. The scheme allows those who have experienced the loss of a baby in early pregnancy to apply for a certificate recognising their loss. It applies to losses before 24 weeks of pregnancy, or before 28 weeks for losses that occurred before 1992. These certificates are an important step in recognising the grief experienced by parents who lose a baby before 24 weeks gestation. They acknowledge the profound impact of baby loss and the value of every life, no matter how brief. The scheme is open to people who live, previously lived, or experienced their loss in Northern Ireland. More information is available here: nidirect.gov.uk/services/baby-… Image source: belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-…

To the men who selflessly model fatherhood through their love, protection, and support: today, we celebrate you. In a culture that often sidelines men in both the journey of pregnancy and the broader conversation around it, we recognise the vital role men have to speak and not be silent, to support and not walk away, to stand with and for both lives. We thank God for the men who have chosen to support both lives in pregnancy, including in the midst of fear and uncertainty. Those who have stood beside women facing an unexpected pregnancy or pregnancy crises. Those who have stood for their unborn child. Your voice matters. Your presence matters. Your support makes all the difference. Today, we also think of those grieving a father’s absence or walking the path of fatherhood alone - may you know the nearness of our Heavenly Father and the comfort of knowing that you are not alone.

Preston Davey was the victim of the most horrific abuse and murder. Yet Adam Frisby wants to make it all about him, and use this as an opportunity to push for surrogacy law change which would erase mothers. Pathetic propaganda @BBCNews @Lauren_Hirst_ bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

#babyrevolution 54% of young women think motherhood is deeply unappealing 1/3 of babies are aborted with abortion rates continuing to rise Yet 72% of women believe that “society doesn’t value motherhood as much as it should”. Women fear motherhood but actually believe it should be valued So much more needs to be done to counter fears; support mothers and enable them & their babies to thrive together and both fulfil their potential. We also need to include men in this conversation. The strongest predictor of a pregnancy continuing is women and men in committed relationships- marriage. For families to thrive government has an obligation to create systems that support shared and balanced caring responsibilities in a way that enables men and women to have babies, celebrate parenthood, work and do life together!

rt hon Sir Desmond Swayne TD MP @DesmondSwayne

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Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, never speaks a word in Scripture, yet his actions speak volumes. When faced with an unexpected pregnancy, he chose obedience, commitment and fatherhood. Rather than walk away from Mary, Joseph protected and supported both mother and child, pre and post birth. His example reminds us of the vital role fathers can play: to speak, not be silent; to support, not walk away; and to stand with and for both lives. We invite you to explore God’s heart for fatherhood through our week-long Lectio Divina resource, God Unborn: Joseph said yes: eauk.org/what-we-do/ini…

Lisa Barr explores what different aspects of fatherhood can teach us about God’s heart for fathers and the vital role that men play in supporting both lives in pregnancy, pre- and post-birth. Read the full article: eauk.it/fatherhood-to-…

As we approach father's day, Tim Coysh shares his desire to be an example of character and faith as a stepdad and dad. Read the full article: eauk.org/news-and-views…

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"This was Baby Barr at 13 weeks gestation (11 weeks from conception) during our first NHS scan and booking appointment. They are a very active baby! When the midwife politely asked them to stay still for a photo, we got a clear view of the top of their head and they promptly shook it, as if to say, “Nope!” The midwives were incredible. Even though they see lots of women and unborn babies on scans every day, they made the experience feel deeply personal. Hearing phrases such as “your baby” and “you and your baby” was incredibly affirming as they talked us through developmental milestones. No question was considered insignificant or silly and every query and concern was met with warmth and patience. At this stage, Baby Barr was roughly the size of a lemon. Their kidneys were developing, and their unique fingerprints had formed." - Lisa 💛

Baby Born at 23 Weeks and Weighing Only One Pound Heads Home From Hospital A baby boy was born a week before the UK abortion limit at only 1lb 1oz and, after 6 months in intensive care, has gone home a healthy and happy boy. Baby Alanie was born in Florida at just 23 weeks gestation. His mum, Graysel Stuart, had gone for an ultrasound to find out the sex of her baby. Doctors noticed that her cervix was opening too early and she underwent treatment to try to close it. However, her treatment was only partially successful and her cervix began opening again. This meant she would likely go into labour very soon. “[The doctors] decided, OK, I may be at risk for early labor. So, they contacted Broward Health Medical Center and they said they are open to taking me”, Graysel said. She was transferred to Broward Health and baby Alanie was born within four days weighing only 1lb 1oz on 30 November. Born at 23 weeks weighing only 1lb 1oz Dr Johny Tryzmel, the neonatologist leading the care for baby Alanie, said “You’re talking about a baby that the chances for survival were in the 30%, to say in the best case scenario, around that 30%, 40% — and [he] beat the odds”. Being born so prematurely, baby Alanie needed all sorts of medical interventions. He was on a ventilator and needed steroids for his lungs to develop properly. He had stage two retinopathy of prematurity, a condition affecting his eyes, and also had a brain bleed, as well as urinary and respiratory infections. His mum, Graysel, never left his side while his father, Alvon Lettsome, would visit for a week at a time every month. The stress of being in the hospital and not knowing if Baby Alanie would make it or not took its toll on Graysel. She said: “You need to find a way to just let everything go. For me, it was walks, scrapbooking, or just going to the bathroom and just letting everything out or writing the feelings or emotions in a book and just throwing it away. You know, just do what you gotta do to let those feelings out, because it’s not good for you and it’s not good for the baby.” Despite the ups and downs, though, Alanie is now six months old and while he needs regular injections to boost his white blood cell count, it hasn’t stopped Alanie being the happy boy he is today. “He loves to smile. He loves to laugh”, his mum said, adding that he’s “very nosy” and “loves the camera”. Dr Tryzmel joked “I don’t see why not, one day he actually can be a neonatologist”. Right To Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said “More and more babies are born before the abortion limit and go on to survive. They shine a spotlight on just how barbaric our abortion laws are.”

This powerful image was shortlisted in the 2025 AOP Open Awards and the Sony World Photography Awards 2025. The photographers described the image as capturing “strength and nurture, muscle and milk, competition and care” while calling for a sporting world where “motherhood isn’t an interruption but part of the playbook." We couldn't agree more! This photograph is a striking reminder that motherhood is not weakness. It is resilience, sacrifice, nurture and strength all at once. A society that values both lives, pre and post birth will celebrate life from conception and not only enable a mother to choose life for her unborn baby but will equip them both to thrive. Source: instagram.com/p/DYOsK63oGgr/

The Green Party claim to represent human rights but campaigns to deny the humanity of our unborn family members. They support removing every explicit legal protection & status pre-birth and even to allow their termination post-birth, by decriminalising the secret disposal of a newborn baby’s body. Bonkers is a kind description….

This was Baby Barr at eight weeks gestation (six weeks from conception) at a private scan in Belfast. The flicker that you can see on the video is their heart beating. Hearing the sonographer say, "That's a strong heartbeat" was such a relief as early pregnancy doubts and questions meant that I was quite nervous going into the appointment. At speaking engagements over the years, I have told hundreds of people about gestational development at early stages of pregnancy but actually seeing our baby on the screen really affirmed what I've always known - that life and motherhood begin at conception. At this early stage, the brain is already sending messages around the body, and the baby is already over 100 times bigger than at conception.

Have you listened to the latest episode of the Both Lives Podcast? 🎧 S2E7 - Adoption and fatherhood: A conversation with Brian Harvey In this episode, Dawn is joined by Brian Harvey. Brian shares his adoption story and together they explore the crucial role that fathers can play in supporting both lives in pregnancy, pre and post birth. Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or here: podfollow.com/1838921586

As attitudes to motherhood shift in society, Anna Iliescu reflects on how the church can tell a better story. Read the full article: eauk.org/news-and-views…