The following story is one of many that have been shared with us from women experiencing pregnancy complications. Most are not willing to share their story publicly, not wanting to relive the often tremendous grief and trauma they experienced and the scrutiny that public sharing would invite. This couple agreed for us to publicly share their story, with names changed to protect their privacy.
Meet the Peterson Family
Cindy and David Peterson, a pro-life conservative Dallas couple, are the proud parents of four children (19, 17, 7, 3), their youngest with Down syndrome. Last year, at age 44, Cindy became pregnant with her fifth child, which came as fantastic news to the whole family.
Devastating Diagnosis
However, a genetic test revealed that the miracle baby they had named Liam screened positive for Trisomy 13, a rare genetic condition that causes severe intellectual disability, physical malformations, and organ anomalies. This serious chromosomal condition most often results in miscarriage or stillbirth.
With Liam, doctors observed a severe case of Trisomy 13 in which multiple fatal defects were present. Doctors expected Liam to only live a few minutes or hours if the pregnancy reached full-term. In the midst of tremendous grief, Cindy and David wanted Liam delivered early to increase the likelihood that the family could share a few moments together before Liam passed. “I wanted him to be born alive,” Cindy recalls, “and I wanted just to hold him for as long as he would live.”
Pregnancy Complications & Legal Challenges
Cindy’s doctors also advised her to deliver early given numerous high risk factors in her pregnancy. However, despite doctor recommendations, the hospital denied the Petersons’ request because current Texas law does not allow terminations or early deliveries in cases of fatal fetal abnormalities. The hospital also could not grant Cindy an early delivery on the grounds of the law’s ‘life of the mother’ exception because her risk factors were not severe enough as she was not actively dying. This decision only further added to the family’s pain as well as frustration toward the unintended consequences of the law. “We could not understand why I had to wait and risk my life for a child who will never live when I have four children who need me,” Cindy remarks.
As the weeks went by and Cindy’s existing pregnancy complications worsened, the Petersons wondered how Liam’s heart was still beating in utero despite his major health problems. “I asked and our doctor responded, ‘Well, you’re life support. The woman’s womb is this beautiful place of life support for babies with fatal conditions. And when they’re born, they won’t be able to survive without you,’” Cindy recounts. “To me, it was like if I had a child who was alive and was on life support, no one would make me wait five months with them on life support if they knew that the baby wasn’t going to make it.” Yet all the Petersons could do was wait and, “grieve every day knowing our baby was going to suffer and die,” Cindy emphasizes. “I found it hard to go in public because every time someone asked when I was due or congratulated me on the pregnancy, I broke down and could not function. The grief was terribly overwhelming.”
Emergency & Loss
At 31 weeks, Cindy became tremendously ill and was diagnosed with HELLP disorder, a life-threatening complication that requires emergency intervention, finally qualifying her for an early delivery. During labor, Cindy’s placenta ruptured, causing more complications that led to Liam dying in utero. Cindy began bleeding to death, prompting doctors to perform an emergency C-section. “I felt like if I closed my eyes I would never open them again. And I also knew this is the only time I have with my baby. This is it. I had to stay strong so I could see him.”
As Cindy was fighting for her life, Liam was born still. The family held the baby and took photos to commemorate their beautiful child, but a grueling recovery lay ahead. Cindy still struggles with health complications today which have impacted her ability to parent her children. The harrowing birth experience has also had a lasting traumatic effect on the whole family. “It is really terrifying to think that I almost lost my life,” Cindy tearfully shares.
Reflecting on the Impact of Texas Law
While the outcome for Liam would not have been different if he was born at 24 weeks vs 40, the difference in Cindy’s outcome was life and death. The Petersons were not able to make the best decision for Cindy’s health with their doctors, and David came very close to losing the love of his life and the mother to their four children.
“Knowing that this law was removing the options to keep my wife alive and safe for our other kids and our family is something that deeply upset me and straight up angered me,” David expresses. “No one should have to go through this. What does pro-life mean if it’s not valuing the life of my wife and the other people that are experiencing this?”