WASHINGTON — Kaitlin Martinez climbed to the top of Capitol Hill Oct. 13 to figure out whether she should paint her nursery pink or blue.

“Many events have occurred here in the Capitol Building,” said the Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition. “But today Kaitlin’s going to find out whether she’s going to have a boy or a girl.”

Martinez was one of many pregnant mothers who volunteered for Voices From the Womb, a pro-life event held in the Congressional Auditorium. Live ultrasounds of their unborn children were displayed for a large audience, which included current members of Congress.

Voices From the Womb was sponsored by Idaho-based Stanton Healthcare and co-sponsored by the Christian Defense Coalition and the National Pro-Life Center. The idea behind the event was to let the unborn bring the pro-life message to D.C. themselves.

“Everyone has come to Washington, D.C., to let their voice be heard,” Mahoney told the crowd. “There is one (group) that has not come to D.C. yet to testify, and that is the millions of preborn children.”

The event was the kickoff for a two-year campaign. Mahoney hopes to bring Voices From the Womb to schools, churches and state houses all over the country.

“We are very excited about what we see happening,” he said. “We believe as the humanity of the child is seen that the violence of abortion will end, that human rights will be granted to all, that social justice will be established.”

Martinez was one of many women to participate in the event. The live ultrasound of her unborn child was displayed on a big screen, and the audience could see a 19-week-old baby girl moving around in Martinez’s womb.

“The detail is so absolutely incredible,” said Brandi Swindell, founder and president of Stanton Healthcare. “It’s hard to imagine that there are people who want to deny the humanity of the preborn child.”

Stanton Healthcare offers free ultrasounds to clients, and Swindell said that those women who see their ultrasounds almost always choose to carry their babies to term.

Ultrasound technology is really changing the debate, she said, “because we now know what is going on inside the womb.”

Live ultrasounds can change a pregnant woman’s heart, and now Voices From the Womb can use them to challenge and inspire elected officials to pass pro-life legislation.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the author of the Dickey-Wicker Amendment that bans federal funding for abortion, briefly spoke at the event. He said that Voices From the Womb is historic and that it would help legislators win the pro-life cause.

“People didn’t know what we know with this technology,” he said. “There is no excuse now, because we have the facts.”

A staffer from Minnesota Republican and presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann’s office spoke as well, and one of the pregnant volunteers came from Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Joe Pitts’ office.

Pitts introduced the Protect Life Act on the House floor that same day. The bill passed the House by a vote of 251-172. It states that no taxpayer dollars will be used to fund abortion through the new health-care law.

Father Paul Schenck, founding director of the National Pro-Life Center, was also in attendance. He was very excited about Voices From the Womb.

“This is the first invitation that comes to the very children who are the subjects of legislation which effects the heart and soul of our nation and of our society,” Father Schenck said.

He hopes Voices From the Womb will banish abortion “to the same ash heap of history as lynching, and dueling, and every other insane act against the dignity of the human person.”

Mary Frances Boyle writes from Washington.