CHARLOTTE — Be Not Afraid, a ministry that began in the Diocese of Charlotte in 2008, recently engaged in a series of consults with ethicists at the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) and two neonatologists to clarify Catholic teaching regarding the care of infants born who had been prenatally diagnosed with life-limiting prenatal diagnoses. The effort resulted in the publishing of ethical guidance for parents carrying to term and a resource they could use in advocating for the care of their babies.
Recognized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Catholic Bioethics Center, BNA is a private non-profit organization that has assisted parents in 25 states, welcoming 191 babies over the past 12 years, despite challenging circumstances.
BNA provides case management support before and after a birth as well as comprehensive accompaniment to the parents, who have often been told by doctors to abort their unborn children rather than carry them to term because of a medical or intellectual disability.
BNA’s co-founder, Tracy Winsor, and co-author Bridget Mora, compiled an ethics document in the summer of 2019, and then had an article published in the NCBC periodical “Ethics and Medics” this past January. They also contributed a chapter in the third edition of the NCBC reference book “Catholic Health Care Ethics: A Manual for Practitioners” featuring the stories of parents who had used the document in their birth planning and newborn care advocacy.
“Be Not Afraid’s statement on the ‘Ethical Care of Infants with a Life-Limiting Diagnosis’ represents groundbreaking work in a neglected area of infant care. The organization is a wonderful resource for parents facing challenging diagnoses for their unborn children… Their insights should be available to the widest possible audience,” said Dr. Ted Furton, NCBC’s publications director.
The story of Baby Mila is featured in both the NCBC article and the chapter. Gesine and Fernando Alvarez had been told that their baby Mila was “incompatible with life” when a twelve-week screening test indicated a risk of trisomy 13.
The Alvarezes were completely committed to giving Mila every opportunity to live: “She deserved to get all the help we could give her because we love her and even with a diagnosis like Trisomy 13 she had the right to life,” Gesine said.
When Mila arrived early on Aug. 2, 2019, at only 35 weeks and two days’ gestation and weighing 4 lbs., 7 oz., the agreed-on birth and newborn care plan was put into effect. While it is impossible to know what would have happened in the absence of a care plan that asked for their daughter to be treated as any other baby, if left untreated the typical complications that affect many preterm babies can result in death if not monitored and addressed. On Aug. 7, 2019, Mila was discharged, and she is alive today.
“Not all babies with life-limiting prenatal diagnoses can be saved, but Mila’s story is instructive,” said Winsor. “Looking at the attached picture (of Mila) should impact our perspective of what it means to be given a so-called lethal prenatal diagnosis.”
Of the BNA’s work being published, Winsor said BNA is “so proud of this effort which really grew from the horrible comments made by the governor of Virginia a year ago regarding third trimester abortion.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
For more information
To learn more about Be Not Afraid or donate, go online to www.benotafraid.net.Questions? Contact Winsor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..