A mother who risked her life giving birth to a baby girl with spina bifida has related how well her beautiful baby is progressing after refusing to abort, despite intense pressure and ridicule from doctors.
Victoria Pampanin Reyes, from Los Angeles, miraculously survived heart failure after giving birth to her third child when she was just 25 years old. She was warned by her doctors that there was a very high chance of medical issues should she become pregnant again.
Becoming pregnant with her fourth child, Victoria was urged to abort her baby by her husband and family, as well as her doctors, on the grounds that the risk to her own health was too great – her cardiologist even drove her to tears and made her feel “intensely ridiculed”.
Despite pressure, Victoria bravely decided to keep her baby, only to be told that her unborn child was suffering from spina bifida and would likely never walk.
Remaining steadfast, Victoria continued with the pregnancy, undergoing in utero surgery at 25 weeks, which was a resounding success.
Recalling her first encounter with her baby girl in intensive care, 4 days after her birth, Victoria said: “I could hardly contain my excitement… I could not believe how small she was… I cried both tears of heartbreak and joy.”
One year on, baby Amelie is a happy young girl, who is exploring her mobility with the help of her walker and support sling.
Her loving mum has no regrets about her decision: “I know we made the right choices. Our once two-pound baby is now a strong-willed, beautiful and charismatic one-year-old.
“The little girl they said would never walk has full movement down to each and every one of her 10 tiny toes.”
SPUC Comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “This is an amazing story of a brave young woman putting her unborn baby first – before even her own health.
“Even when confronted with the news that her baby daughter had spina bifida, she was adamant that her little girl had a right to life.
“Currently, in utero surgery can treat a number of foetal health conditions, including spina bifida, foetal tumours and cerebral palsy. It is sad that her doctors were so quick to offer Victoria an abortion.
“Whilst pro-abortion campaigners insistently refer to unborn children as ‘blobs of cells’ or ‘parasites’, the use of in utero surgery highlights that unborn children are human, and are worth saving and protecting.”
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