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Celebrate Conception Day, kids

by David Larsen
| March 26, 2010 9:00 PM

Many letters have been written of late concerning child bearing or not bearing and who gets to decide. Both sides have their merit and both have their fervent supporters and detractors. I feel it is time for someone to speak of the unexpected or unintended consequences that might occur. I have chosen to speak of those consequences and urge you to evaluate them and allow them to influence your decision on the matter of childbearing.

Let us first consider consequences of changing the legally established date of the beginning of life from the date of the actual birth resulting from the baby leaving the womb and emerging outside the body of the woman. This is estimated to be usually in the neighborhood of nine months after sexual activities resulting in the woman's egg being fertilized by the man's sperm. Both sides of the issue seem to agree as to this point. It is always good to start from a point of agreement.

As we are approaching April 15, it would be good to consider the income tax benefits of declaring life to begin at the date of conception. This date can be closely approximated by the prospective mother's Ob-Gyn. So any pregnancy occurring in the taxable year would qualify for an income tax exemption, twins, double exemptions. That backs up to a pregnancy occurring in April or later in the taxable year. Thus generating an income tax exemption even though the baby is born in the next calendar year. That certainly is a plus for "Conception Day."

There are also business opportunities from such a change. Think of the "Hallmark" type cards to be sent announcing "Conception Day" and the responding cards congratulating your event with "Happy Conception Day" messages. Of course some card companies may try to capitalize on the blessed event with some tasteless "Conception Day" cards, but again one can't control business in its quest to make money. After all, your joy is also their delight!

Bakeries may take advantage of this new event as well. Cake decorators will no doubt develop a suitable array of options for decorating the cake for your party. How about a costume party! Think of the creative opportunities if you or one of your closest friends throws a party to celebrate the event. Maybe even pass around your photos of the event if you are into that sort of thing. Yes, "Conception Day" will not only swell you, but it can swell the cash flow of many of the small businesses in your community as well.

As your child grows and develops, he/she will start asking questions. That is a perfectly normal part of child development and parents have faced such questions forever. With the recognition of "Conception Day" will come some questions earlier parents have not had to encounter. View these as opportunities to communicate with your child in new and meaningful ways.

Questions such as: "Mommy and Daddy, what were you doing on my conception day?" This will give you and your child the opportunity to begin discussing reproductive processes and it will certainly eliminate your having to figure out a way to open this often-awkward discussion later. When your teenage daughter says, "Daddy and Mommy, Billy's parents are going out of town and he is going to have his "Conception Day" party! Can I go PLEEEEZE." You can say, "Certainly, Conception Day is maybe the most important day of a person's life. Have a good time!"

Now on a more serious note, when society takes over the reproductive cycle of a woman, doesn't society then assume some major responsibility? The health of the baby to be born approximately nine months after conception is affected in large part by the prenatal care and health of the mother. Doesn't that mean that society will have to assure adequate prenatal health care for this process? And what about after the baby is born? There seems to be a significant number of Americans who want to control what a female of childbearing age can do relative to reproductive decisions. For that concern to have merit, it must also show that this societal concern for the baby extends beyond the mouth of the birth canal.

So I guess I will give more credence to the anti-abortion groups when I see them actively supporting health care reform that will guarantee medical care not only to the unborn, but to the newborn American citizen and mother as well.

David Larsen is a Coeur d'Alene resident.