The Shocking True Story of a Woman Advised By Doctors to Abort Child With 90 % Chance of Survival

The shocking true story of a woman advised by doctors to abort child with 90 percent chance of SURVIVAL


'He's such a happy boy.'

First time mother Holly Hodgson was only twelve-weeks pregnant when her doctor suggested she get an abortion.




Baby Teddy survived just fine.
Mrs. Hodgson was shocked when the doctor explained the ultrasound revealed her child's organs were growing outside his body, a condition called gastroschisis.

The CDC reported roughly 1,871 babies across the United States are born with gastroschisis.


When Mrs. Hodgson and her husband, Stephen, looked up the odds of their unborn son's survival, they discovered he had over a 90 percent chance.

"The radiologist said it would be fine but then when I went to see my doctor he told me that I should terminate because he had only seen three other cases who all terminated," she told Kidspot.

"Luckily, I did a lot of research over the weekend and said that I wanted a second opinion."

The second doctor never mentioned an abortion as an option. Instead, the Hodgsons were told the child would require close monitoring.

"It makes me sick and angry when I look back on what he said," Holly admitted, particularly when she considered the families who were told their children couldn't survive - or live normal lives.

"I was still upset with that he said even though I wasn't prepared to terminate because I hadn't read anything about babies being terminated so I didn't think it was possible. It was a silly thing to have said."



Baby Teddy's organs were held together with saran wrap


Nearly eight months later, baby Teddy was born at only 4-pounds 2-ounces.

His large and small intestines were outside his tiny body and doctors simply tied them up in saran wrap for an hour before the organs were moved into a silo bag for thirteen days. Those thirteen days allowed the tiny babe's stomach to grow large enough to fit the organs back in.

"Not being able to hold him when all of the parents around us could hold their babies was pretty awful. I just kept say[ing] 'it will happen eventually, eventually...'"

Teddy grew bigger and stronger with each day. Christmas came and went, yet still the Hodgsons were unable to hold their son.

Finally, nearly two weeks after their son's birth, the Hodgsons were allowed to hold their fragile son.

"It was almost scary because he was so little - it was like holding a little doll," Holly recalled.



Teddy's large intestine was put in a silo bag to allow his stomach time to grow.


Eight weeks later, Teddy was allowed to go home with his parents.

"Getting him to feed was hard because he would sometimes vomit for hours and we would have to start all over again," Holly explained. "It was one step forward, two steps backwards. Very frustrating but got here in the end."

Now, eight-months-later, the Hodgsons are happy to report baby Teddy is living a normal, healthy life.

"He's such a happy boy," Holly shared. "He just loves making faces and talking to people. He always smiles, giggles and squeaks at people he doesn't even know - it's very cute."

A few months after Teddy's birth, Holly wrote to her first doctor to sent a photo of Teddy and share his success story.

"He just responded with 'Congratulations - I'm glad all went [well].' He didn't say sorry, or that he would take it on board for next time," Holly stated.

Though her original doctor didn't seem to be interested in the possibility of saving lives, the Hodgsons decided to share their story in hopes of encouraging other families in similar situations.

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Encouraging