Heather O'Connor with her son Jake
Posted on 07/23/2007 10:22:11 AM PDT by Stoat
A couple were advised by medical experts to abort their unborn child amid fears he would be severely disabled - but he was born perfectly healthy.
Heather O'Connor and Jamie Bramley went through months of turmoil after being told that scans suggested part of the baby's brain could be missing. But Jake, their first baby, arrived weighing a healthy 7lb 9oz - and with no defects.
Consultants at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester had recommended Heather should abort her child early in her pregnancy in March. But the couple asked for a second opinion and a professor at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield disagreed, saying he believed the child's brain was normal.
Heather O'Connor with her son Jake
St Mary's doctors continued to have serious concerns until April, when they said a further ultrasound scan had indicated the child was fine. However, in May, a St Mary's consultant again said they believed the baby's brain was abnormal.
Heather and Jamie decided against a further examination at Sheffield and decided to go ahead with the pregnancy.
Jamie, 24, and Heather, 19, of Heaton Chapel, Stockport, spoke of their anguish in the months before Jake's birth.
It started after a scan at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport suggested the child had swelling on the brain and Heather was referred to St Mary's.
Heather had a detailed scan there and doctors said the baby had brain swelling and might have a rare defect. "They said he may end up brain dead or severely disabled," said Jamie.
"They said the scan was 99 per cent reliable and recommended abortion. We were distraught. I asked for further investigations, but the doctor said he was rarely wrong.
"Heather was very distressed and we agreed to go to Sheffield for an MRI scan. The professor at Sheffield said that in his opinion, the baby may be fine. But then at St Mary's, a doctor said the pictures from Sheffield were inaccurate to him.
"We were more confident after seeing the expert at Sheffield, but because of St Mary's views, there was always an awful doubt in our minds."
Heather said: "You didn't know who to believe. But after our experience, maybe other people will not give up hope if something similar happens."
The Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs St Mary's, said: "The decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy because of a suspected abnormality is a highly individual one and we take great care to ensure patients are aware of all of the facts to allow them to make an informed decision."
The trust said it would 'not actively recommend or dissuade' patients from choosing a termination, but apologised if the family 'were given the impression that they were being advised to take this option'.
Hard to say - without being able to test all those aborted babies he has been responsible for over the years of supposedly being "rarely wrong". For all we know, he may be 50/50 in predictions, or even more unthinkable - he may never be correct.
For sitetest,
I am glad your child was born healthy. It is not something I would wish on anyone and I would not change my beautiful boy in any way. God presented him to us, perfect and just they way he planened, for us to love in this world. It is not an easy life but it is also very rewarding in ways that others who do not have a special needs child may never know. Each of us have a path with our children and one is no more perfect or better than another. Each is unique.
I'm ALL Right!,
My brother in law was told the same thing and he had a beautiful girl with no problems. It creates terrible heartache and pain. I am glad it worked out well for them.
AnnaZ, What a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing.
My neighbor has a PHD in Computer Science, and is one of the most breathtakingly, frighteningly stupid and immature people I have encountered (yes, he subscribes to The Nation) . His overall demeanor is similar to what I recall the more oafish high school kids to be like, and he constantly needs help with the most mundane things of a practical, tangible and everyday nature. Being a friendly, helpful stoat, I always do my best to assist but it's always something like:
PHD Neighbor:
"OMG! My car won't start! It just makes this clicking sound!"
Scruffy stoat:
"I see. Did you check the battery cables, the battery fluid level and the battery's charge?"
PHD Neighbor:
"Ummm...no. How do I do that?"
Scruffy stoat:
"Oh, Okay...I"ll be right over."
(PHD Neighbor's car is running just fine ten minutes later)
Although I've met some brilliant PHD's, I've also met some who have spent their lives in an extremely insular academic world which robs them of many life experiences that most people would likely consider "basic".
In fairness, Nursing does involve a fair amount of (basic) math and so your account is quite disheartening.
Wow! Thanks for posting that.
When visiting her (female) doctor, the doctor said that she advised all of her patients beyond their late 20s to have the test (amnio centesis) for Down's syndrome (which can actually be very risky to a baby). The doctor finished her spiel by stating that by doing it "this early in your pregnancy, it's far easier to terminate your pregnancy than later."
My daughter explained that as she had no intention of "choosing to terminate her baby no matter what the test showed." She further told her doctor that merely having the test was a danger to her forming baby and she would never consent to having it done anyway.
The doctor replied to her it was "state law" that she, the doctor, attempt to persuade my daughter to at least have the test.
My daughter then stated that she "was very happy to announce that she would very soon be leaving California and would have no further need of her "advice or services."
You're quite welcome, and I'm delighted that you've enjoyed reading the article :-)
It seems that the family is already Blessed with enough common sense as well as Faith to know how to do the right thing, despite what the professional murderers might prefer.
St. Mary's Hospital??? Recommending abortion????
The juxtaposition of the name and the evil deed sort of makes one stop in their tracks, mouth agape, doesn't it?
Disgusting detail. Needs to be renamed 'Peter Sanger Hospital', not after the Blessed Mother.
Agreed on all counts...if they are going to murder children there, they should at least have enough respect to change the name to one not associated with God in any way as you suggest.
If it's any consolation, it may possibly be that the hospital is actually named after a lesser Saint......their website gives no details.
When I refer to this site which gives information on Saints, it lists "Saint Mary" thusly:
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Whereas they list Mary, the Mother of God, not as a Saint in the title but as Mary the Blessed Virgin
In the description, they go on to describe her as "the greatest of all Christian saints" but they never refer to her as "Saint Mary".
I agree that it remains a terrible insult to abuse the name of any Saint by performing murders in a building so named, but I am thinking that it may be that they are at least not insulting the Mother of God in this instance.
Perhaps I'm wrong? Please set me right if I am :-)
I’d say that the chance of any church or hospital anywhere being named St. Mary and not being the same as Jesus’ mum is 0.000%.
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It is a Satanic sacrament and they are. Satan was overcome by a woman and her child.
A friend of mine went to the hospital one Saturday morning with severe abdominal pain. After performing numerous x-rays of her stomach, they gave her pain medication and advised her to go see her doctor the following Monday. It turned out that she was pregnant. Her doctor told her that due to the x-rays and pain meds, chances were high that the baby would be deformed or mentally impaired and advised her to abort it. She told her doctor that the word ‘abortion’ wasn’t in her dictionary. She ended up giving birth to a healthy boy. Thank God she didn’t listen to that doctor!
I have a miracle grandson who has defied medical professional's words, as well! God has given my daughter and grandson an awesome LIFE TESTIMONY! Priase the Lord for the miracles!!!
Consultants??? St. Mary's??? Sickening!
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