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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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The baby and the diagnosis :
Feelings about the pregnancy
Early scans and blood tests
Diagnostic tests - amnio and CVS
The 18-20 week scan and further tests
Understanding the baby's diagnosis
Deciding to end the pregnancy :
Looking for information and support
Ending the pregnancy for the baby's sake
Ending the pregnancy for family & personal reasons
Finding out how the pregnancy will end
The impact of the decision
Ending the pregnancy :
Signing the consent form
Ending the pregnancy surgically
Ending the pregnancy by induction
Going through labour and birth
Deciding whether to see, hold and name the baby
Photographs and other mementoes of the baby
Treatment, care and communication
Losing the baby :
Leaving hospital and going home
Deciding whether to have a post-mortem
Saying goodbye to the baby - sevices & funerals
Coping with bereavement - women's experiences
Coping with bereavement - men's experiences
The effects of ending a pregnancy :
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Deciding whether to have another baby
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
Subject index
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Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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3-4 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 05
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She was determined to have more children and was very pleased when she became pregnant.
Her 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan detected neural tube defect. Specialist scan confirmed encephalocoele. Pregnancy ended at 23 weeks by feticide and induction. Post mortem identified Walker-Warburg syndrome - a genetic abnormality. 3rd pregnancy: nuchal scan revealed baby had anomalies, and by 19 weeks scan showed hydrocephalus. Pregnancy ended at 20 weeks by induction. Walker-Warburg syndrome identified at post mortem. Both parents are carriers of recessive gene. 4th child born in 2004.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 27
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Describes how happy she was about her next pregnancy and how it went well from the start.
Her 2nd pregnancy: she felt unwell throughout pregnancy. 12-week scan confirmed pregnancy viable. Amniocentesis identified Down's syndrome. Pregnancy ended by induction at 19 weeks. She had another baby 2 years later.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 23
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She got pregnant again quite quickly but felt emotional all the way through because she was still grieving for her other baby and was worried about th
She has 3 children (1st, 3rd and 4th pregnancies), and ended 1 pregnancy. 2nd pregnancy: everything seemed fine until 20-week scan which found heart defects. Specialist cardiac scan identified hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Pregnancy ended by induction at 21 weeks. Parents agreed to post mortem. Since then she has had two children.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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1-2 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 06
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Neither of them feel ready to have another baby because they haven't yet come to terms with the termination.
Their 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan showed baby seemed small for his dates. Further specialist scans at 28 and 32 weeks showed baby's head was small. Mother also had amniocentesis and MRI scan. Baby diagnosed with microcephaly. Pregnancy ended at 34 weeks by feticide and induction.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 10
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Describes how she was pessimistic throughout her subsequent pregnancy but that after her son was safely delivered she realised what strain she had bee
Her 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan indicated serious abnormalities. Amniocentesis and scans identified Patau's syndrome. Pregnancy was ended by induction (no feticide at her request) at 24 weeks. Since then she has had another baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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8+ years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 09
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She felt she needed another baby to fill the void in her life left by the baby she had lost but her husband was unsure.
Her 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan found baby had anomalies. Preliminary diagnosis after specialist cardiac scan was that baby had serious heart defects. Pregnancy ended by induction at 24 weeks. Post mortem revealed baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome and an unbalanced chromosomal translocation (Robertsonian translocation of 13 and 14). Genetic counselling found that mother and her mother are carriers of a chromosomal disorder or translocation of the chromosomes. Since termination she has had another baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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1-2 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 35
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He doesn't feel strong enough to go through another set of IVF and another pregnancy and is grateful for the child he's got.
Father of 1 child. 2nd pregnancy: wife felt unwell throughout pregnancy. Nuchal scan at 12-weeks arranged privately, advised to have CVS - no problems detected. 20-week scan found baby had heart problems. Specialist cardiac scan confirmed baby had multiple problems in heart, stomach and spleen. Pregnancy ended by feticide and induction at 22 weeks. Post mortem confirmed multiple abnormalities. He is undecided about whether he wants another baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 22
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Looking back she realises that she put her husband under strain because she was so determined to get pregnant again after the termination.
Her 1st pregnancy: some bleeding and sickness, scan at 7 weeks confirmed pregnancy. 12-week scan normal. Triple test at 19 weeks, found raised AFP levels. 20-week scan identified hole in baby's heart and shortened limbs. Specialist scan found 2 holes in heart and abnormalities in limbs, bowel and brain- sent for amniocentesis. Pregnancy ended by induction at 21 weeks. She has had another baby since termination.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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3-4 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 24
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Explains that she hasn't been able to conceive again and that she feels blessed to have one child.
Mother of 1 child, she had a miscarriage in 1997. She has a heart condition and takes warfarin (heparin during pregnancy). 3rd pregnancy: 7-week scan confirmed pregnancy viable. 12 week scan no problems found. Nuchal scan at 13 weeks found baby had shortened femur, no tibia or fibular on right leg. Specialist scans confirmed lower limb deficiencies. Pregnancy ended at 17 weeks by induction.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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3-4 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 32
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Describes how his physical relationship with his wife was affected by worrying about the risk of conceiving another baby with abnormalities.
His wife's 3rd pregnancy: 20-week scan detected anomalies - baby's kidneys and stomach couldn't be seen. Specialist scan revealed baby had multiple abnormalities; parents agreed to amniocentesis which confirmed baby's problems were not inherited. Pregnancy ended at 22 weeks by induction. Since termination he and his wife (EAP07) have had another baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 10
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She looks back on all the things that have happened to her and feels that she is more appreciative of her children.
Her 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan indicated serious abnormalities. Amniocentesis and scans identified Patau's syndrome. Pregnancy was ended by induction (no feticide at her request) at 24 weeks. Since then she has had another baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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1-2 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 11
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Describes how difficult she found her second pregnancy and that her new baby often makes her think of her first baby.
Her 1st pregnancy: experienced hyperemesis during pregnancy. Triple test at 16 weeks showed high AFP reading. Sent for specialist scan which found baby had neural tube defect confirmed by amniocentesis. Pregnancy was ended by induction at 21 weeks. Post mortem indicated Arnold-Chiari malformation. Since termination she has had another baby.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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3-4 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 19
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Describes feeling very anxious about the possibility of going through another pregnancy.
His wife's 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan detected neural tube defect. Specialist scan confirmed encephalocoele. Pregnancy ended at 23 weeks by feticide and induction. Post mortem identified Walker-Warburg syndrome - a genetic abnormality. 3rd pregnancy: nuchal scan revealed baby had anomalies, and by 19 weeks scan showed hydrocephalus. Pregnancy ended at 20 weeks by induction. Walker-Warburg syndrome identified at post mortem. Both parents (see EAP05) carriers of recessive gene. 4th child born in 2004.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 29
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Says that having another baby as well as the passage of time helped him and his wife recover from the termination.
Their 2nd pregnancy: mother had gestational diabetes so had regular blood tests and scans throughout pregnancy. Amniocentesis at 16 weeks was clear. Scan at 30 weeks indicated neural tube defect. Detailed scans indentified alobar holoprosencephaly. Pregnancy was ended by feticide and induction at 31 weeks. Parents declined post mortem. They have had another baby since the termination.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 36
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Having ended two pregnancies because of neural tube defects she is pregnant again and explains her motivation and anxieties.
Mother of 2 children (1st and 3rd pregnancies). 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan detected anomalies. Sent for specialist scan, baby diagnosed with holoprosencephaly. Amniocentesis. Pregnancy ended by induction at 21 weeks. She experienced post-natal depression. Sent for genetic counselling. 4th pregnancy: 12-week scan anomalies detected - baby diagnosed with anencephaly. Pregnancy ended surgically at 13 weeks. She had gynaecological problems following termination. She was pregnant at time of interview.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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5-7 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 36
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She found herself getting depressed after her second baby was born at a time when she should have been feeling happy.
Mother of 2 children (1st and 3rd pregnancies). 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan detected anomalies. Sent for specialist scan, baby diagnosed with holoprosencephaly. Amniocentesis. Pregnancy ended by induction at 21 weeks. She experienced post-natal depression. Sent for genetic counselling. 4th pregnancy: 12-week scan anomalies detected - baby diagnosed with anencephaly. Pregnancy ended surgically at 13 weeks. She had gynaecological problems following termination. She was pregnant at time of interview.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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3-4 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 07
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Describes how difficult it was to decide whether to have another baby because she felt so worried about the same things happening again.
Her 3rd pregnancy: 20-week scan detected anomalies - baby's kidneys and stomach couldn't be seen. Specialist scan revealed baby had multiple abnormalities; parents agreed to amniocentesis which confirmed baby's problems were not inherited. Pregnancy ended at 22 weeks by induction. She has since had another baby.
Topic
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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Deciding whether to have another baby
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Deciding whether to have another baby
Deciding whether to have another baby
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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Deciding whether to have another baby
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Deciding whether to have another baby
Deciding whether to have another baby
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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1-2 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 06
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Still feels she hasn't come to terms with her guilt about the baby's death which happened two years' ago.
Their 2nd pregnancy: 20-week scan showed baby seemed small for his dates. Further specialist scans at 28 and 32 weeks showed baby's head was small. Mother also had amniocentesis and MRI scan. Baby diagnosed with microcephaly. Pregnancy ended at 34 weeks by feticide and induction.
Pregnancy & children
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Ending a pregnancy for fetal abnormality
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1-2 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 35
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Describes how he responds when people ask him questions about his family.
Father of 1 child. 2nd pregnancy: wife felt unwell throughout pregnancy. Nuchal scan at 12-weeks arranged privately, advised to have CVS - no problems detected. 20-week scan found baby had heart problems. Specialist cardiac scan confirmed baby had multiple problems in heart, stomach and spleen. Pregnancy ended by feticide and induction at 22 weeks. Post mortem confirmed multiple abnormalities. He is undecided about whether he wants another baby.
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