- Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley were hopeful of getting a third baby when they found out their unborn child would most likely be born with Down Syndrome
- Upon the medical realisation, the internet couple decided to make a difficult decision which was to terminate the pregnancy
- Jesse shared the reasons he and his wife decided to take the route, adding it was not an easy decision but had to do it
Internet couple Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley have announced a heartbreaking decision regarding their pregnancy journey.
Source: Facebook
The couple agreed to terminate their pregnancy following concerning health findings about their unborn child, which ultimately influenced their decision.
What is another name for Down’s Syndrome?
They discovered that their unborn baby had a high likelihood of being born with a genetic condition, and they felt unable to proceed with the pregnancy given the circumstances.
“This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21. The choice was not made lightly. We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we received from fans no matter what we decided.
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I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley. She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained,” Jesse shared.
Jesse explained that Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is caused by an extra chromosome.
What causes Down Syndrome?
When the couple first received the news, they were both shocked yet optimistic. Jesse also sought to educate his audience about Down syndrome, noting that it is different from autism.
“It is caused by an error in cell division, like a glitch. The odds of a baby having it are about 1 in 1,000. If they’re a little slow intellectually, then we’ll make it work. I signed on to be a parent, come what may, but I just didn’t fully understand what Down syndrome entailed.
Once we made it public, it became clear that most people don’t know what Down syndrome entails (and no, it’s not the same as autism). About 50% of babies with Down syndrome have heart defects. Many experience hearing challenges, vision problems, impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning difficulties, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, facial structural differences, and a reduced lifespan. Sadly, the list is long. Feel free to look it up,” Jesse added.
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Do many couple terminate pregnancies?
Before making the decision to terminate the pregnancy, Jesse and Ashley said they consulted doctors, friends, family members, and genetic counselors.
They also learned that a significant percentage of women choose to terminate pregnancies after receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 21.
“This was way higher than I expected. I thought it would be lower given that I hear so many people say they kept or would keep the baby. I believe that’s because most terminations happen privately; it feels shameful, and there is a lot of judgment being cast.
You never think you’d be in this type of situation until it happens to you, and then things change,” he said.
Source: Facebook
Captain Sammir fumes online
In another story, Captain Sammir went on a viral rant, accusing Hannah Bentah of turning against him after allegedly agreeing to carry his child.
The TikToker did not hold back, even implying that she was considering terminating the pregnancy.
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Fans flooded the comment section, sharing their opinions on the difficult situation the two TikTokers were facing.
Source: NgGossips
