A mother was told her unborn son had a less than one per cent chance of survival but still chose life for him.
Doctors warned Tammy and Adam Smith that their son would be stillborn after Tammy’s waters broke at 20 weeks.
She refused to have an abortion and now wants other mothers to know “there is always hope”.
Abortion
Tammy told The Sun: “I was desperate for hope, but they told me there was none and that our son couldn’t survive.”
The couple even made funeral plans, before a later scan revealed their son’s heart was still beating.
The hospital warned that the baby had only a tiny chance of living, and encouraged an abortion – a move that was out of the question for Tammy.
I want other mothers to know there is always hope.
Intensive care
At 30 weeks, she went into hospital to have the baby.
“Even as I was being wheeled into theatre they were telling me he would be stillborn and that I had to prepare myself for it”, she said.
Jesse was born on 26 April 2016 – weighing just four pounds. Initially he was not breathing, but soon showed signs of life and was rushed off for intensive care.
He was allowed home three weeks later and is now thriving.
Hope
Tammy said: “To go into delivery being told to prepare for your baby to be stillborn is horrific, and to come out with a healthy baby is unimaginable.”
“I want other mothers to know there is always hope. Jesse is living proof”, she added.
Ciara Curran of Little Heartbeats, an online group that supports mothers in similar situations, said: “We would like to see more support and information given to parents and we would like to see the same consistent care in every hospital.”
Abortion opposition
In Great Britain, abortions generally can take place up to 24 weeks but disabled children can be aborted up to birth.
Last month, a poll found that an overwhelming majority of women want the abortion limit lowered.