Parents must always make decisions for the well-being of their children. Making some choices may be relatively easy but others are not, and are very difficult to do, especially when children's lives are at stake. And this mother had to deal with the difficult decision of whether or not to resort to a late abortion to save the life of one of her twins.
Abortion in the world
Millions of people face unplanned pregnancies each year, and about 4 out of 10 have an abortion. Some people with planned pregnancies also have abortions for health reasons. In France, 1 in 3 women have an abortion at least once in their life.
Sometimes the decision seems obvious. Other times, it's complicated. But in any case, the decision to abort remains very personal, and the person concerned is the only one who can take it.
Everyone has their own unique and valid reasons for doing an abortion. And there are many reasons for this:
- Do not be ready to be parents.
- This is not the right time to have a baby.
- Finish studies, focus on work or achieve other goals before having a baby.
- Do not be in touch with someone who wants to have a baby.
- Being in an abusive relationship.
- Do not want to be parents.
Pregnancy or childbirth is dangerous for the health of the mother or baby.
The last case is the one whose story we will present to you as a testimony.
A painful decision to make
Darla Jackson was faced with a very difficult decision for the twins she was pregnant with.
Darla explained that before getting pregnant, she and her husband had trouble conceiving. They tried all sorts of treatments in the United States before going to the Czech Republic where they were able to obtain an egg donation for a few thousand dollars.
After receiving the embryo. Darla and her husband were thrilled when they discovered they had binoculars.
However, their happiness lasted only a few weeks. By the time Darla appeared for her 20-week exam, she received very bad news, her two daughters were in danger and might not survive if they both wore them to delivery.
Baby B, which both parents named Catherine, had a number of problems, including an encephalocele, which is a neural tube defect, slow growth, and a small cranial box, called microcephaly.
Darla and her husband could not believe it, and did not give up hope that their doctor might have made a mistake. They then made an appointment with some specialists to try to obtain better results, and to find a possible solution.
Shortly after their diagnosis, the doctors explained the situation to Darla and her husband, as well as the few options they had. On the other hand, if Darla carried the babies to birth, not only would they be born prematurely, but Catherine's defects could be so severe that she would have been disabled. Even worse, Olivia, the second twin, could potentially not survive the delivery.
The second option was a late Catherine abortion, so that Olivia could have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth. For Darla, it was a very difficult decision to make, since these two girls would die if she did not make a decision. Moreover, the case of Darla was rare, it represented one in a million.
On June 22, 2017, the doctor let the couple see and hear Catherine one last time. Then, guided by ultrasound, the doctor injected medicine into Catherine's heart, stopping her once and for all.
The Jackson were devastated, but at the same time very happy for their remaining daughter Olivia. Since the difficult ordeal, Darla says she wants people to open their eyes and see that there are still difficult circumstances surrounding an abortion, and sometimes a late abortion is needed to save someone's life. else.
"We decided to take upon ourselves the pain and suffering of our daughter. She died peacefully, feeling my love and hearing my heartbeat. It was not a convenience choice, and it was not undesirable. But Olivia was also wanted, "said Darla.
The Jackson have turned Catherine's ashes into beautiful angel wings so that she will never be forgotten. When Olivia grows up, she will learn the story of her birth and thank her parents for making such a difficult and important decision that allowed her to live a normal life.
Do not hesitate to share the story of this courageous mother, who was able to make this decision despite the pain!