A mother who refused to abort one of her children after being told it could save the other has shared her joy that “both boys are healthy and doing really well” nine months on.
Parents Jordan and Chris Pritchard were informed after a scan that their twins had selective intrauterine growth restriction, where the placenta fails to provide an equal amount of nutrients to both babies, which can cause one to become malnourished.
But although they were advised to abort the smaller twin, Jordan went on to give birth to both boys last December and the family are due to celebrate their first Christmas at home together this year.
‘Shell-shocked’
Mum Jordan reflected: “A consultant said if Archie, the smaller twin, passed away in the womb it could be life threatening to Jackson. They offered to cut him off through laser surgery, but we weren’t prepared to make a decision like that.”
We were shell-shocked when the doctors gave us this choice.
“We were shell-shocked when the doctors gave us this choice. But how could we have possibly made that decision? We had to give both our boys an equal chance. We are so glad we trusted our instincts as both boys are healthy and doing really well.”
She added: “We are so grateful we didn’t listen to the doctors’ advice as Archie wouldn’t be here with us today.”
Pressure
Earlier this year, a married couple who resisted “constant pushing” to abort their baby girl after she was diagnosed with a rare condition shared their joy following her successful surgery.
Nicole and Mike were informed at a 13-week scan that baby Bella had a encephalocele, where a sac of brain tissue forms outside of the skull. Children with the condition have around a 55 per cent survival rate.
But Nicole went on to give birth to Bella at 35 weeks, and doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, successfully removed the encephalocele.
Thousands of pro-lifers march to Parliament Square