A mother in the US state of Ohio has shared how she rejected the offer of an abortion after her baby was given just a one per cent chance of survival.
Deanna Payne was told of a suspected preterm premature rupture of membranes at a 17 week scan and was informed she could abort her baby, given the potential health risks to her, and the baby’s poor prognosis.
Five years on, her son is now healthy, with no adverse health effects.
Choosing life
After she and husband Chris received the devastating news, Deanna recalled: “We just spent 45 minutes watching our son on an ultrasound, scared, unsure of the future.
“We heard the heartbeat, and we just weren’t OK with terminating the pregnancy”.
She was sent home for bed rest and later spent two months being observed in hospital, but was thankful for the nurses who helped her through the ordeal: “These ladies helped me make it through 60 long, emotional days where we didn’t know what the outcome was going to be”.
Defying the odds
Baby Rhett was born at 31 weeks, and was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit where he stayed for 32 days.
His mother said: “I was waiting for the pendulum to swing the other way, because it was unbelievable that everything remained stable”.
She believes her son’s birth highlights “Strength, perseverance, and faith”.
Parents of deceased newborn: ‘Choose life, you won’t regret it’