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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality

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8+ years since pregnancy ended

Interview 20

Interview 20

Age at Interview: 43
Sex: Female
Background: Pregnancies ended in 1996 and 1999. No. of children at time of interview: 2. Ages of children: 8, 2. Occupations: Mother - mother, formerly civil servant, Father - economist. Marital status: married. Ethnic background: White British.

Brief outline:She has had two children (1st and 5th pregnancies), 2 miscarriages and 1 stillbirth. She has ended 2 pregnancies. 2nd pregnancy: anomalies detected at dating scan, so she was scanned regularly. By 18 weeks multiple abnormalities evident- sent for amniocentesis. Pregnancy ended by induction. Post mortem identified multiple pterygium syndrome - a genetic disorder caused by both parents having recessive gene. 4th pregnancy: IVF treatment, scanned at 10 weeks and anomalies detected- sent for amniocentesis. Pregnancy ended at 17 weeks. Amnio identified Down's syndrome.

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Explains why she didn't want to see photographs of her baby though she was willing for photographs to be taken and kept with her medical notes.
Print It was expressed as an option, but it was expressed several times, and I wish they'd just asked once and then dropped it. But at several points it kept being raised, you know, “Would you like us to do this? Would you like us to do that?” I mean I understand there are different stages in the procedure, and they did say, “Would you like us to take a photograph and put it in the notes?” which I agreed because I never have to look at the notes. But I mean it was so tiny, it was only about that big anyway [demonstrates size of baby on camera] And there wasn't much to take a photograph of, because you know, it was all a bit of a mess anyway. And they, luckily when it, when it was born they just took it away.

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