Mother Defies Advice to Terminate Pregnancy After Waters Break at 20 Weeks, Welcomes Thriving Baby Son
When Ann Rice’s water broke at 20 weeks of gestation, she received advice from medical professionals to abort her son, Chester. They informed her that she was likely to miscarry within 48 hours and sent her home with antibiotics. Despite the alarming news, Ann and her husband Chris made the courageous decision to continue the pregnancy. Ann, who already has two children, Connor (seven) and Riley (19 months), was at risk of developing sepsis if she didn’t terminate the pregnancy, according to the doctors.
Ten weeks later, on December 23, Chester was delivered via emergency c-section, weighing less than a sack of sugar. He was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary disease due to underdeveloped airways and spent four months in the neonatal unit. There were moments when doctors doubted his survival, but Chester defied the odds and is now living at home with his older siblings, albeit needing 24-hour oxygen support. Ann, from Cardiff, describes him as a child full of joy and resilience, saying, “Despite everything he’s been through, he’s just starting to develop his own personality, and he always has a smile on his face.”
Ann further adds, “He’s happy, he’s healthy, and he’s a beautiful little boy. If I had followed the doctors’ advice, I would have lost out on witnessing his current state.” The ten-week period between her water breaking and Chester’s birth was a challenging time for the mother of three. She had to endure bed rest as much as possible while also taking care of her eight-month-old infant. Each passing week of the pregnancy felt like a small victory, as it meant Chester was growing stronger and bigger.
For the pregnancy to be considered viable, it needed to reach the 24-week mark, as Ann explains. If Chester had been born earlier, the doctors wouldn’t have intervened to save his life. At birth, Ann’s amniotic sac contained less than 1cm of fluid, leading to complications. Ann and Chris took turns visiting Chester during his 113-day stay in the neonatal ward. During those four months, he experienced four episodes of sepsis, required a blood transfusion, and almost had to undergo surgery for a perforated intestine, which luckily resolved itself.
In April, they were finally able to bring him home, but just two weeks later, he developed bronchiolitis, leading to four additional respiratory infections and a return to the intensive care unit. He stayed in critical condition for four days. It felt like a constant cycle of taking one step forward and two steps back. At nine months old, Chester weighs 16 pounds and 14 ounces, significantly less than the average weight for infants his age (22 pounds). Nevertheless, Ann states that he is growing stronger with each passing day, and his doctors are satisfied with his progress. She says, “If I were to remove the oxygen from him right now, he’d be okay; he wouldn’t struggle for breath immediately.”
Ann credits the Little Heartbeats charity for supporting her throughout this challenging journey, and she hopes that sharing her story will raise awareness among other mothers facing similar difficulties.
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