A mother who twice refused an abortion says her daughter’s movement in the womb was the only voice her baby had.
At 23 weeks into the pregnancy, American couple Angela Bakker and husband Michael were told that their unborn child would not live.
She was found to be very small in the womb and not receiving enough nutrition, but Mr and Mrs Bakker said they did not want an abortion.
‘Little voice’
Angela was then diagnosed with slight preeclampsia and again was offered an abortion – being told that if she was going to go ahead with the pregnancy she must “really, really” want her kid.
At that point Angela’s baby moved in the womb – “She started kicking, and I thought, that’s her little voice. That’s all she can say”, she said.
The couple maintained that they did not want an abortion, with Angela commenting: “We’re not gonna get rid of her because she’s not healthy”.
Operations
In the following days Angela had an emergency caesarean and despite expectations the baby survived.
Indeed, on 1 July Naomi Joy was born and was breathing on her own.
Weighing only 364 grams and with her eyes fused shut, she underwent numerous operations at the beginning of her life outside the womb.
Doing well
Now, she can see and hear but does have problems with her lungs – although doctors say that issue could disappear in the coming months.
Angela commented: “These babies don’t get a chance because parents do end up terminating a lot of the time.
“It’s not been easy. It’s been difficult and heart-wrenching, and every day you wonder if your baby is going to live.” “Doctors can be wrong.”
The couple said on Facebook that Naomi Joy now weighs 7lb 2oz and is “doing well”.
Choose Life
Last year The Christian Institute’s Choose Life series told the story of Melanie and Damien Sheenan who faced pressure to abort after doctors incorrectly diagnosed their son with a severely life-limiting condition.
The couple, from Northern Ireland, chose to keep baby Joshua, but devastated by the prognosis, they were then made to feel they were doing something “terribly wrong” by choosing life for their son.