- Series:Humans, Transcript English
Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
When talking about a baby’s expected time of birth, we have all heard someone say, “The baby will come when it’s ready.” While that might not sound very scientific, new research shows that the statement is probably scientifically accurate. The infant, not the mother, seems to control the start of the birth process for mother and infant.
Medical researchers are doing more research to confirm their theories. They believe that the brain of the unborn child monitors the infant’s development so that it knows when the infant is ready for birth. As the time for birth approaches, a pea-sized part of the fetal brain signals the adrenal and pituitary glands that it is soon time to be born. These glands respond by producing two hormones. These hormones build up in the infant’s blood. As they build up, they create changes in the mother’s hormones that begin the process of giving birth.
A complete understanding of this amazing sequence may help medicine treat the problem of premature labor.
What is more important, we see how exquisitely God has designed the process of giving birth. How wise of God to design the process so that when the baby is ready to be born, the mother’s convenience must give way to the baby’s need. Nor does the baby’s birth time depend on the mother’s limited understanding of the developing infant. Perhaps these realities offer some lessons to an age that places so much less value on the unborn child than God clearly does.
Prayer:
Lord, I pray for an end to the murder of the unborn through abortion. Help Your people to live their faith so clearly and invitingly that those who reject Your truth would be invited to the forgiveness of sins by the joy and excellence of our lives. Amen.
Notes:
Fackelmann, K. “A Fetus Tells Mother: It’s Time for Labor.” Science News, Vol. 140. P. 182. Diagram: Mother-preborn circulatory system.
