A mum who refused to abort her baby son when her waters broke at 20 weeks wants her story to encourage others “not to lose hope”.
Rachel Collins was told by a doctor that her baby would die and advised to abort, but “we already had a name for our baby and I was devastated”, she said.
She said: “I could feel my baby moving, he was alive, how could I get rid of him?”
Premature
Later another hospital – Heartlands in Birmingham – told her the situation would be difficult and that her son “might have a squashed face or a club foot”.
But Heartlands, which Collins later praised for the care she received, said they would give the baby a chance.
Later baby Alfie was born prematurely – at 30 weeks – but is now healthy and Collins said: “I just want other women facing similar problems not to lose hope.”
Suffer
Speaking to a local newspaper Collins commented: “Everything seemed fine until I went for my 20-week scan at Good Hope Hospital and they said my waters had gone.
“The doctor said ‘this baby will die, the best thing you can do is terminate it’.”
But she said that she had already suffered an ectopic pregnancy and didn’t want to face losing another child.
Resuscitated
Alfie was due on Christmas Day, but was delivered early – on 21 October – by emergency caesarean and weighed just 3lb 7oz.
Collins said he “came out crying, but then crashed and had to be resuscitated”.
Collins commented that staff at Heartlands Hospital were “brilliant”, and her family’s support was invaluable.