Parenthood, IVF, and a Tragic Mistake
A story of 2 couples that fought over the same baby
The Judgement of King Solomon
One of the most famous stories in the Bible is the Judgement of King Solomon. Two women claim to be the mother of the same child and King Solomon offers to cut the baby into two halves. When one woman cries out against it and is willing to give up the baby as long as no harm comes to him, King Solomon declared that she is the real mother.
It’s a story that highlights the wisdom of the king, his wit, and his problem-solving capabilities but the story of Solomon’s judgment also highlights a question that has been asked for thousands of years; Who is a parent? How do we define parenthood? In the case of Solomon, love and care for the baby were the defining factors. Now, with technology being as evolved as it is, it’s even more complicated.
Discovery
This story started in September 2022. An 8-month-pregnant woman and her husband discovered that their baby had a problem with her heart and would need urgent fetal surgery. This is a high-risk procedure for the fetuses and the woman carrying it, but the doctors explained that there isn’t any other choice.