A mother has said she is “furious” at doctors who misdiagnosed her unborn child as disabled and told her to have an abortion.
Gemma Rogers, from Cumbernauld, said she “always wanted to be a mum” and couldn’t bear to have an abortion.
She said she is “so glad” she kept her son Ciaran, who is now three years old and completely healthy.
Hope
Doctors told Gemma at the 20-week scan that Ciaran had spina bifida, which would mean he could never walk, talk or use the toilet himself.
She said: “When we were told our baby would have no life at all, we were heartbroken.”
Gemma explained, “I knew from the moment I was told he would be disabled that I didn’t want to give up hope on my son”.
Defiant
Ciaran was born by Caesarean section weighing 5lb 13oz at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and was taken away for tests for three days.
Doctors said fluid would need to be drained from his brain, and the condition spina bifida was written in his medical notes.
Yet Ciaran was born with no health problems, and learnt to walk at 15 months. He has also been fully potty trained.
Furious
Gemma said she wants an apology from Glasgow Royal Infirmary, as she is “furious” at the doctors who told her to “get rid of him”.
The hospital has given reassurance that patients are not pressured into having abortions.
“Regardless”, Gemma said, “I’ve got the greatest son in the world and our happy family feels complete”.
Immense pressure
The Christian Institute has highlighted stories about people who have been affected by abortion.
Melanie and Damien Sheenan, from Northern Ireland, were put under immense pressure to abort their son Joshua as doctors said he had a severely life-limiting disability.
Doctors said he was “incompatible with life”, but they carried on with the pregnancy and Joshua is now nearly two years old.