Julie

It was almost four years ago today when I decided to end my third pregnancy and I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was expecting my second child (my first pregnancy ended in miscarriage and I had a 14 month old daughter) and was having a fairly easily, uneventful pregnancy other than some bleeding in the first trimester. I went in for my big ultrasound, ready to find out if I was having a boy or a girl and excited about shopping for baby clothes than afternoon with my mom and sister.
Instead, I found out that my son was very sick… he had a defect in his abdominal wall, he would need surgery immediately after birth, they were referring me for more advanced pre-natal care and my doctor would review the full results with me when she got them. Two weeks later I sat in my doctor’s office as she told me that the report had showed he may not have kidneys- a condition called renal agenesis that is always fatal, but that they may be able to see more in my upcoming level II ultrasound. At the level II ultrasound we found out the full extent of my son’s defects.
He had a limb wall body complex- in addition to no kidneys and an abdominal wall defect, he had a hole in his heart, underdeveloped lungs, scoliosis and fluid on his brain. He had no anal opening and after ...