Category: Induction/L&D

Induction/L&D, Stories

Sent Home with a Broken Heart

I’ll never forget the emptiness I felt afterward. You’re meant to come away with a little baby after giving birth, not be sent home from the hospital with a broken heart. By Emma My husband and I spent five years trying to have a baby. In the midst of transitioning to a new fertility doctor, a miracle had happened. I was pregnant! We were both overjoyed and our hearts were full. The first trimester brought constant nausea, some dizziness, and a miscarriage scare. When we reached the second trimester we sighed with relief. We scheduled a photo shoot to share our exciting news and started […]

Induction/L&D, Stories, Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)

The “least shitty” option

We had to make a choice between rock and hard place, shitty or shittier. The least shitty option for us was to terminate the pregnancy. By Jane After several miscarriages, two living children, then more miscarriages, my husband put his foot down and said, “No more.” We couldn’t keep going on like that. I reluctantly agreed. Once that decision was made, I made peace with having our little family despite always wanting four children. In Jan 2018, I had a funny feeling I was pregnant despite not missing a pill. I couldn’t shake the feeling so stopped drinking alcohol and waited until I could take […]

Diagnoses, Hydrocephalus, Induction/L&D, Neural Tube Defects, Stories

It was our choice. To us, it was the only choice.

Our choice - our only choice - Ending our babys life for multiple brain anomolies

It was our choice. To us, it was the only choice. By Erin It has been almost two weeks since we had to end our sweet baby’s life. I hate saying it like that, but to me, that’s what we did. Even though it was the right choice. It was our choice. To us, it was the only choice. I’m 32, my spouse is 30. When we found out we were pregnant in September of 2019 we felt scared, excited, and nervous. But we never thought anything could go wrong and soon we were just overjoyed and elated. Telling our family and friends We told our […]

Induction/L&D, Neural Tube Defects, Spina Bifida, Stories

Rest in Peace, Andrew Tweed

Canadian labour & deliver

We met with a fetal surgical specialist to discuss in-utero surgery to fix the open spine. However, with my BMI (40) being over the limit and my medical history, it wasn’t a good risk for us. A Canadian Labour & Delivery Abortion Experience at 21 weeks by Emily G. My husband and I were expecting our second child. I was being seen at the high-risk special pregnancy program at Mount Sinai hospital located in Toronto, Ontario Canada for an autoimmune disease. On my 20-week anomalies and gender reveal scan, I brought my sister, my 1.5 year-old-niece and my husband. Since this is a specialist appointment it notoriously takes a […]

Induction/L&D, Other Diagnoses, Stories

The Worst Rollercoaster Ride

Not Mild

This is Not Mild By Anna As you read this story you might notice that the tone I’ve chosen is a little less conventional than most. This is the way I want to share my story: with a dash of humour, curse words, and sarcasm. Grab a glass of wine, unless you are fortunate enough to be pregnant, then (hiding my resentment and in all seriousness) I am happy for you—non-alcoholic wine sucks so enjoy your water, here is the story of my first pregnancy. Synopsis: I was told baby would survive, then not survive, then survive(!), then not survive…so my full story is long. […]

Induction/L&D, Religious Perspectives, Stories, Turner Syndrome

Our Daughter, Gabriella Grace

Gabriella Grace - Termination for Turner Syndrome

I believe in mercy, and that’s what we hopefully gave our daughter. By Chelsea “Not Compatible with Life.” Crushing words, that confirmed our worst fears. I remember blinking my tear-filled eyes, praying that by some chance of a miracle our daughter would survive. After 20 weeks of pregnancy, and exhausting every possible avenue of testing, willing and praying for our daughter to survive, we were faced with the reality that she would not. The cystic hygroma and fluid had overtaken her body and she was struggling to survive. The Ultrasound I’ll never forget sitting in the OB’s office around my nine-week appointment, excited to hear the heartbeat […]

Induction/L&D, Stories, Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)

Left With So Many Questions

So many questions remain after a termination for Trisomy 13

So many questions remain. Why do I feel like I’m in someone else’s life? Why don’t I recognize myself anymore? What can I do to help myself get better? By Malky It was a storybook pregnancy: perfect timing, smooth pregnancy, I was feeling great, and I’d gained minimal weight. Then we went in for the second trimester ultrasound at 22 weeks and nothing was perfect anymore. Trisomy 13. No chance of survival. Possible dangers to me if I carry the pregnancy to term. The doctor’s advice was “Stop the pregnancy as soon as possible.” Just like that, everything changed. No warning. Six days later it was over. The baby was […]

Fetal Hydrops, Induction/L&D, Stories, Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)

Mariana

Mariana - Terminating after hydrops, cystic hygroma, and T21 diagnosis (Down Syndrome)

It was almost like she came out in her bubble, protected from the outside world. By Andrea My husband and I were excited when we found out that I was pregnant. We have a three-year-old daughter and this baby would have been born around the same time our daughter started kindergarten. Everything happened as planned; it was a very expected pregnancy. The first ultrasound was at 12 weeks. I wasn’t very concerned. It was probably because we didn’t have any problems during our first pregnancy and our daughter was born healthy. Even though my husband really wanted to be there, he couldn’t make it for […]

Induction/L&D, Religious Perspectives, Trisomy 18 (Edward's syndrome)

A Heartbreaking Journey

Trisomy 18 - It felt to me like a message from my Stella.

It felt to me like a message from my Stella. By A.R. Our angel Stella Marie was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. This is the story of my heartbreaking journey as I fought against my own faith. I always knew I wanted to get married, have a big family, be able to stay home with my children and then go back to work when they were in school. That was my dream. And although my life took many detours, last October I thought, boy my dreams are all coming true, I am so blessed. I was married to a wonderful man, I had three children ages […]

Hydrocephalus, Induction/L&D, Neural Tube Defects, Spina Bifida, Stories

Chloe Fay

People are silently grieving, too afraid to let others know what’s going on because they are scared of judgment. By Zena Mason To the newly bereaved parent: please know that you’re not alone. I want to share my story of medical termination in Australia. This was extremely hard to write and share. In a world full of supportive people we have certainly felt alone because it’s so taboo and people are scared to talk about anything to do with the loss of a child. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we as humans are judged for what shoes we wear, what house we live in and whether […]