Mum refuses doctors' advice to abort baby with rare birth defect

The mother of a 10-week-old boy who chose not to follow doctors' advice when they suggested an abortion during her pregnancy has spoken about the life-or-death decision she was asked to make.

Vicky Davies says she couldn’t imagine having a termination in spite of her doctors’ advice that she should consider that option because her son had a rare birth defect. She says she knew "I had to just give him a chance at survival”.

Samuel was born five weeks early with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), which meant his stomach and intestines developed in his chest cavity because of a hole in his diaphragm.

Vicky was unable to hold Samuel after giving birth and he was put straight into an incubator, with medical staff saying he might not make it through the weekend. On day six the doctors told Vicky they could do no more for him.

“But Samuel just thought, 'no, I am going to fight',” says Vicky.

The little boy became strong enough to have an operation in June to move his stomach and intestines down and now he has started feeding from a bottle.

Read more (The Mirror) >