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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 04
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Her husband felt he would always have to be 'on guard' and protecting their child with Down's syndrome and that it would put him under too much pressu
She had an early termination, 2 miscarriages and a normal pregnancy. Her 5th pregnancy was ended by induction at 21 weeks - baby had Down's syndrome detected by amniocentesis. Since then she has 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 08
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She took into account the effect she believed her baby's Down's syndrome would have on her, her marriage and the whole family.
Her 2nd pregnancy: felt unwell throughout pregnancy, AFP test at 16 weeks indicated that baby might have Down's syndrome, later confirmed by amniocentesis. Pregnancy was ended by induction at 21 weeks. She felt insufficiently prepared or informed about baby's post mortem.
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 realised she would have to sacrifice her other children and her family for the sake of her baby who needed several serious heart operations.
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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8+ years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 20
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She has ended 3 pregnancies because of a genetic disorder and feels people should be more realistic about the strain of caring for a disabled child.
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.
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 38
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She got upset when her aunts took photographs of her baby to send to their families.
Mother of 1 child, married to her first cousin. 2nd pregnancy: 12-week scan normal. 20-week scan detected anomalies in the baby's brain. Specialist scan confirmed multiple abnormalities. Pregnancy ended at 20 weeks by induction. Post mortem indicated baby had proliferative vasculopathy with hydrocephaly (Fowler syndrome). Sent for genetic counselling, established she and her husband carriers of gene responsible for syndrome. She was pregnant at time of interview.
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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3-4 years since pregnancy ended
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Interview 30
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Feels that her baby's heart problems would have affected every aspect of family life.
Her 2nd pregnancy: felt unwell and sick throughout pregnancy, some bleeding at 6 weeks. 11-week scan confirmed viability. 20-week scan detected heart abnormalities. Specialist scan identified tricuspid atresia and ventricular septal defect. Pregnancy ended by induction at 22 weeks. She has had another child since termination.
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