You Never Feel It Will Happen To You

Birthright of Greensboro* has its first baby.

Faith was born in December to a 15-year-old Greensboro girl. Her conception struck fear into the heart of her young mother and turned her young father off completely. Mary, the name we will give to the mother, is the oldest child in a large family. She was brought up by trusting and loving parents.

As she hit her teens and struck out in search of her own identity, she admittedly went too far. The decision to go “all the way” with her boyfriend ended in pregnancy. At first, Mary tried to convince her boyfriend to marry her. He would buy none of that..although an illegitimate child himself. He could not face the responsibility of being a father.

When she was five months pregnant, Mary knew she had to tell her parents. They were shocked into numbness by the announcement, but reacted with understanding. Both parents were puzzled why their daughter could make such a mistake. The reality of the situation, however, didn’t allow them to dwell on that. In four months the baby would be born and plans had to be made.

From the beginning, Birthright of Greensboro (an organization designed to help young girls to carry their babies to term) was in the picture helping Mary and her parents with decisions.

With trembling heart, Mary asked her school principal if she could attend school. He, too, reacted with kindness and arranged for Mary to go to school until one month before the baby was to be born. Since that time she has continued her studies under a tutor at home.

Mary said the doctor contacted “was tremendous, too. He said from the beginning he did not like to do abortions. He encouraged us to keep the baby.”

When Mary talked to an official in her church, he applauded the idea of her not wanting to give up her “own flesh and blood.”

How does it feel to be 15, unmarried and pregnant? Mary said “You never feel it will happen to you. Yet I knew right away I didn’t want to give up the baby. I knew our family could give it more love than anyone else. It really brought our family closer together, but I knew it hurt them.

I kept thinking, what are people going to say…?” Mary’s mother said her experience with her daughter’s pregnancy “renewed my faith in human nature. God has been with us.”

There were only a few sour notes during Mary’s pregnancy. The parents of some of her young friends proved to be a problem. It seems they didn’t want their children to associate with unmarried pregnant girls. “I finally called one of the mothers and told her, her daughter couldn’t get pregnant just by visiting me,” said Mary. Another woman asked Mary’s mother “do you think it is wonderful Mary is having this baby?”

Mary’s list of friends grew rather than diminished during her pregnancy. “They came over often and brought things for the baby and tried to cheer me up,” she said. The night Faith was born, Mary had more than one friend, male and female, pacing the hospital floor.

The young mother praised the hospital for its understanding. There was no insurance provided for her pregnancy, so payments had to be arranged.

Mary has advice for unmarried girls who are pregnant. She plans to work with Birthright’s Auxiliary. Already she is counseling pregnant girls. “I advise them to tell their parents as soon as they can. I know when I told my parents it was like something had been lifted off my shoulders.”

This article appeared in the Greensboro Daily News on February 8, 1973. Staff Writer: Pat Alspaugh.

*Birth right of Greensboro served as a pro-life care center for women with unplanned pregnancies. It opened December 15, 1972. It’s founder and director was Mrs. Virginia Forrester.

Its purpose was to love, support and counsel pregnant women and help them through the difficult process of pregnancy and life-planning, while encouraging them to carry their baby to term.