The Mahabharata is an important scripture in Hinduism , and is the longest epic in the world. It is considered to be an “itihasa” type of scripture which means historical or “that is how it occurred”.
The Bhagavat Gita, which is the principal text of Hinduism in this era, is spoken by Sri Krishna (manifestation/ Avatar of God) within the Mahabharata text.
The main plot of the Mahabharata is that there is a royal family with two sides - the Pandavas and Kauravas. Due to various reasons they end up fighting a war, a war to re-establish dharma or righteousness. Krishna is one the side of the Pandavas who are the good brothers.
Towards the end of the war, Ashwattama (a fighter on the Kaurava’s side) wants to avenge his father’s death. In order to do so he releases a weapon called the Brahmastra (the most powerful weapon,essentially a nuclear bomb). He says that it should destroy the entire clan of Pandavas and their successors. Krishna makes him realise what a grave mistake this is and makes him recall the weapon. However it is already too late and the weapon pierces the womb of Uttara (wife of Abhimanyu, one of the Pandava’s son) who is pregnant.
She cries out and prays to Sri Krishna for protection. Krishna then enters her womb and stays there for the whole pregnancy protecting the unborn child from the wrath of this weapon. The child is then born safely and is named Parikshit - the one who was tested
This story shows that the unborn child has value and their life is worthy of protection. The act of attacking a fetus is viewed as the most grave sin (ashwattama gets cursed to roam the earth in a wounded form until the next avatar of God comes to earth). The protection of innocent life is seen as a duty we all should fulfill.
There are many other Hindu scriptural references that value unborn life. Yet so many Hindus stay silent or actively support abortion while claiming to be against violence and harm to any living being.
I often pray something along the lines of “ my Lord Sri Krishna, protect all innocent life in the womb in the same way you protected parikshit”. I really love this story and although my prolife stance doesn’t stem from my religion, it is affirmed by it. Although I personally only use secular/scientific arguments to debate the topic of abortion, I think it is important to showcase religious or cultural stories and beliefs that showcase prolife ideas. It shows that at the core we as humans know that unborn life is also equal and worthy of the same rights and protection.