having an abortion whilst carrying a disabled child

this is an extremly difficult question as until you been in that situation it really is hard to say. my sympathy to joanne as you were in a situation where if born your child if survived would of been severely disabled. i have a daughter who is now 5 , she has downsyndrome, when i went for my twelve week scan, i found out the skin on the back of my babies neck was raised, a sign of a child with a disability, so i opted for cvs a procedure where under a scan my babies blood cells were taken. within 2 weeks i knew my baby was downsyndrome and that i was having a girl. i was shocked as i was 25 st this time.many of my friends and family advised me to terminate my pregnancy, as they feared i may not cope, as i already had a 2 year old son,my partner walked out as i would not have an abortion leaving me to cope. but every time i look at sophie i know why i could never have considered abotion. she has many health problems and has had heart surgery, she is fun loving and a joy to this world, although it has been and is hard work i know i made the best choice. i do think it all depens on the level of the disability as if my child would never walk talk laugh or smile, and was wheel chair bound i dont think that is any quality of life, jo anne what a brave woman you have been

DEAR HAYLEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY. WHEN I MADE MY DECISION, I FELT ALONE EVEN THOUGH I HAD AND STILL HAVE A LOVING NETWORK OF FAMILY, MY HUSBAND WHO I AM LUCKY TO STILL HAVE WASN'T TOO HELPFUL AT THE TIME, HE FELT IT WAS NOT HIS DECISION TO MAKE, I FEEL NOW THAT IF WE HAD BEEN OLDER WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENT CHOICE(WHO KNOWS). WHEN WE WENT TO HOSPITAL THERE WAS NOT ALOT OF EXPLAINATIONS. THE LONG SHOT OF IT WAS WAIT UNTIL FULL TERM OR HAVE THE TERMINATION THERE AND THEN, I WENT HOME TOLD MY FAMILY WHO LIKE YOU WERE ALL IN DEEP SHOCK BECAUSE IT WAS NOT HEARD OF THEN. SO MY DECISION I MADE MYSELF, I AM NOT A STRONG ENOUGH PERSON TO HELP A DISABLED CHILD, LIVING CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE TIME WERE NOT GOOD EITHER. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ANYONE WHO CAN COPE WITH ANY LIFE CHANGES LIKE LOOKING AFTER ONE OF GOD'S SPECIAL LOVE'S. I HAVE NEVER FELT BRAVE ABOUT THE DECISION I TOOK BECAUSE THE SOUL DISTRORYING FEELINGS I HAVE HAD OVER THE LAST 18YRS HAVE NEVER GONE AWAY AND WILL NEVER LEAVE ME THE FACT IS I TOOK A LIFE. I AM GLAD YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER SOPHIE IS WELL AND HAPPY AND I WISH U AND YOUR FAMILY LOTS OF LOVE FOR THE FUTURE. LOVE JO ANNEXXXXXX

I used to work in the maternity field and it was devistating when a badly handicapped baby was delivered,especially when it was known it would not survive or have very low life expectations. I feel if it is known that a baby is going to be born with severe disabilities it is kinder for the parents and other siblings to have an abortion rather than suffer the long time pain and anguish that everyone will have to endure. On a similar vein it was also awful to have to participate in the abortion of a healthy baby just because it was inconvienient to the woman