An Australian couple who were informed that their unborn child was diagnosed with Down syndrome were shocked when their doctor scheduled an abortion for them. Refusing to terminate their baby, they went ahead with the pregnancy, and now their little girl has beaten all the odds and is thriving.
Zoey and her husband, Jake, both 28, had been trying for a baby for almost three years when they got pregnant with their daughter, Arlee Grace.
The couple were excited to welcome their daughter into their lives when, one day, Zoey, who was in the middle of teaching, received a call from her doctor who told her that her child was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and that he had already booked her in for termination.
The shocked couple then went to meet with their doctor who presented a fact sheet and said the care they would receive in the following months would be “minimal” and “next to nothing.”
The then-expectant parents were even told what would be the results if they went ahead with the pregnancy: lifelong dialysis treatment, stillbirth, or neonatal death along with being warned to expect the worst.
Despite the doctor’s predictions, Zoey and Jake were determined to give birth to their daughter and thus decided to continue with the pregnancy.
Arlee, who is now 9 months old, is already meeting all her developmental milestones and has proved medical professionals wrong.
Witnessing their daughter’s journey, both the parents have taken part in creating awareness of Down syndrome. Zoey and Jake even helped raise funds for Down Syndrome Australia.
Arlee is now all set to celebrate her first Christmas.