This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Sen. Curt Bramble's "fetal anesthesia" bill is now in effect in Utah and has been getting national media attention. When it came up in committee during the legislative session, I testified in opposition to the bill and shared my personal story.

In 1991, as a young active Mormon priesthood holder and father of four small children, I would have said I was "opposed" to abortion. But I soon found out it's easier to take that position when you haven't had to make the difficult choice yourself.

When my wife was 20 weeks pregnant, we found out the test for spina bifida was positive and were faced with the most difficult decision of our lives. After learning our options, my spouse felt that terminating the pregnancy was the best choice. But as a faithful Mormon, I had been taught abortion was morally wrong.

We visited my parents' home to discuss our situation with our family. Several years earlier, L. Tom Perry, a Mormon apostle, had befriended my younger brother. My brother called Elder Perry and informed him of our situation and asked me to speak directly with him on the telephone.

Elder Perry was kind and sympathetic. He told me his wife was a nurse, and he understood the difficulty involved in our decision. He said: "You can't make a wrong choice here given the circumstances. Pray about it and make the best decision you can." When I asked about the General Conference talks indicating that abortion is a sin, he explained that the leaders had to give general counsel and could not always explain every exception. He felt that, given our situation, it would not be wrong.

After my discussion with Elder Perry, my wife and I prayed. We felt that the best choice was to terminate the pregnancy, and we scheduled the procedure at the local hospital. The abortion was performed by inducing premature labor. He was delivered perfect in form, except for the spina bifida high on his back. Had he been carried to term, his life would have been short and full of pain. We felt the spirit confirm we had made the right decision.

As I look back at that difficult moment in my life, it seems obvious to me that only the woman carrying the child can make the decision to continue or terminate her pregnancy. I wonder why I was the person on the phone with Elder Perry instead of my wife. It was a mistake that, as men, we had that important discussion without her.

Bramble and the mostly male legislators who voted for this bill think that they know better than a woman and her doctor. Not every person gets to talk one-on-one with an apostle, but each person should be allowed to make this private, personal decision without interference. Women need to be unimpeded in accessing the full range of medical care necessary, and we must trust them with full autonomy over their own bodies and lives.

Mark Barnes is a father of four and grandfather of five. He is a member of the pro-choice group Mormons for Agency.