When Does a Woman Become a Mother? (Sanctity of Human Life Day)

The National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is observed on the Sunday nearest January 22, the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide in the United States. The day has become a day for many Christians to reaffirm the God‑given value of every human life and to pray, speak, and act for the protection of the pre‑born.  It was first proclaimed at the federal level by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.  Today, let’s consider some important and relevant questions:

When Does a Woman Become a Mother?

We often hear people refer to a woman who is pregnant with her first child as a “mother-to-be.”  That title is really incorrect. It implies something that Christians should understand to be unbiblical.  It suggests that the woman will become a mother when her child is born, but is not yet a mother.

What Defines a Mother?  

People often call a woman who is pregnant with her first child a “mother‑to‑be.” That phrase sounds harmless, but it quietly suggests something Christians should recognize as unbiblical: that she will become a mother only when the child is born, and that, until birth, she is not yet a mother.

Scripture teaches that human life—fully known and lovingly formed by God—begins in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Luke 1:41–44). If the child is already a living human person, then the woman carrying that child is already a mother. Birth changes the location and visibility of the child, but not the reality of the relationship.

What Defines a Mother?

Standard definitions help here. A “mother” is a female parent, and a “parent” is one who begets or brings forth offspring or who brings up and cares for another. This encompasses:

• The woman who conceives and carries a child in her womb.
• The woman who welcomes a child through adoption or foster care and assumes responsibility for that child’s well‑being.

In both cases, motherhood is more than biology; it is a calling, a relationship, and a God‑given responsibility of love, nurture, and protection.

With that in view, motherhood for a biological parent begins at the moment of conception. From that first instant, the mother:

• Provides a home for her child within her own body.
• Supplies nourishment and protection as the child grows.
• Often forms a deepening bond of love and attachment—even before she can feel the baby move—because she knows this is her son or daughter.

Christians rightly proclaim that life begins at conception; we should be just as clear that motherhood begins at conception. To speak this way reinforces the truth that the baby is already a child and that the woman is already entrusted with a mother’s role.

For that reason, it is helpful to avoid calling a first-time pregnant woman a “mother‑to‑be.” Instead, call her what she already is: a mother. Affirm her God‑given calling, and encourage her that she is already mothering her child.

Proclaiming the Reality of Life in the Womb

One simple way to affirm the personhood of the pre‑born is to weave that awareness into the ordinary rhythms and celebrations of life.

When my daughter was expecting her first child, our family wanted to honor the reality that this little one was already with us, already loved, and already part of our family. That Christmas, we gave her a photo frame ornament engraved with “Baby’s First Christmas,” dated to the year of her pregnancy. In the frame, we placed an ultrasound picture of our grandson, who would be born two months later.

Although we could not yet hold him in our arms, our grandson was as truly present with us that December as he would be after birth—the same child, the same life, the same person, simply not yet seen. We celebrated his first Christmas in faith and joy, not as a potential future child but as a real family member.

This kind of concrete, everyday witness—calling the baby by name, marking milestones, praying for the child, and celebrating “firsts” even before birth—quietly proclaims the truth that life in the womb is human life, precious and worthy of love and protection.

Loving the Unseen Child

Our love for a pre‑born child parallels, in a small way, our love for Christ. None of us has seen Jesus with physical eyes, yet we love Him and rejoice in Him because we know Him by faith and sense His presence with the “eyes” of our hearts (1 Peter 1:8). In a similar way, parents and grandparents may not yet see the baby face‑to‑face, but they know the child is there. They hear the heartbeat, see the ultrasound image, feel the movements—and love by faith.

Just as we long for the day when we will see Jesus clearly, so also families long for the day when they will see a newborn’s face, hold the little body, and hear the first cry. Until then, the baby is a real person, deeply known and cherished, although unseen.

A Brief History of National Sanctity of Human Life Day

National Sanctity of Human Life Day as a response to Roe v. Wade and as a public affirmation that human life—especially life in the womb—is precious and should be protected.

• In January 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued the first proclamation designating Sunday, January 22, 1984, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. He continued to issue such proclamations annually, setting the observance on the Sunday closest to January 22.
• President George H. W. Bush maintained the tradition throughout his presidency.
• President Bill Clinton discontinued the proclamations during his two terms.
• President George W. Bush restored the observance and issued a proclamation each year he was in office.
• President Barack Obama did not issue National Sanctity of Human Life proclamations.
• President Donald Trump again resumed the practice, including a proclamation for January 22, 2018.

Pro‑life organizations have welcomed these proclamations as public recognition that the most vulnerable human lives deserve protection, while abortion‑rights groups have criticized them as threats to legalized abortion.

A Christian Response

For followers of Christ, National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is not primarily about politics; it is about truth, compassion, and faithfulness.

• It reminds us that every human being—from conception to natural death—bears the image of God and is therefore infinitely valuable.
• It calls us to speak truth in love about abortion and to offer real help, support, and hope to women, men, and families facing difficult pregnancies or the pain of past abortions.
• It urges us to celebrate and affirm motherhood from the moment of conception, to honor fathers who protect and provide, and to support ministries that defend and care for both mothers and children.

As this day approaches each year, take time to pray, to encourage the expectant mothers and fathers in your life, to teach your children and grandchildren about the value of every life, and to look for gentle, creative ways to proclaim the truth: life in the womb is human life, and motherhood begins at conception.

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Pro-Life Articles and Videos

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• What is the National Sanctity of Human Life Day?
• "Choice" Spoken Word Poetry Video by EZ Zwayne
• What Does It Mean to Be Created in God’s Image?  (article and video)
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• Who Can Tell Me? (article and video)
• God's Masterpiece  (article and video)
• Formed by His Hand (video)
• The Miracle of Life (video)
• Before Time Began (video + facts and statistics you need to know)
• If Pre-borns Could Talk: A Conversation in the Womb  (article and video)
• When Does a Woman Become a Mother? (Sanctity of Human Life Day)
• Who Are You? (Designed by the Creator video)
• You've Discovered You Are Pregnant (video)