An article in The Scotsman tells the story of a brave mother who refused to abort her baby, despite pressure from doctors. Kiera Meldrum was told to abort her little girl 14 times. Her child, Lillee-Rose, was diagnosed at 21 weeks with a very rare condition called jejunal atresia with ascites, which affects the bowel.
Meldrum, who had previously had four miscarriages, was told that she should abort when the anomaly was detected. Doctors said that Lillee-Rose had a buildup of fluid in her stomach.
Meldrum told The Scotsman:
I felt sick when they told me she wasn’t well but I just knew my little girl was a fighter and that she could make it.
There was no way I was terminating my pregnancy – I’d waited so long to become a mum and I was determined to do all I could to protect my baby.
To monitor the child’s condition, doctors had Meldrum come in for an ultrasound scan every week. At each visit, they advised her again to abort. But although the pressure took an emotional toll on Meldrum, she stood firm and refused to abort Lillee-Rose. At 28 weeks, the pressure intensified when doctors discovered Lillee-Rose’s bowel had split in half. But Meldrum still refused to abort.
READ: Doctors said her son had a birth defect and pressured her to abort. He was born healthy.
Meldrum endured symptoms that made the pregnancy a difficult struggle. She became bloated, had restricted movement, and was in constant pain. However, she was determined to protect her daughter and refused a procedure that would have relieved some of these symptoms because it was risky for her child. She went into premature labor six weeks early.
Lillee-Rose was born weighing only four pounds three ounces. Her mother saw her only briefly before she was rushed to Leeds Hospital and taken into surgery. Surgeons discovered that her bowel was severely damaged. However, they were able to repair it. Lillee-Rose spent eight weeks in an incubator, then had a second surgery.
After the surgeries, her bowel healed. Doctors now say she is perfectly healthy and expect her to live a normal life. Despite all the trials Meldrum endured, including the constant pressure to abort, she now has a healthy baby.
Meldrum says:
Doctors told me every week to terminate my pregnancy, and hearing that advice over and over again was horrific, but something told me Lillee-Rose would make it through.
She’s been diagnosed with an intolerance to lactose, but other than that, she’s growing up healthy and getting bigger and stronger every day.
My baby girl never stopped fighting and finally having her home with me is a blessing. She’s my little miracle.
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