A mother from Glenrothes, Fife, in Scotland, has spoken of her love and joy at her baby boy, Jackson, after she refused doctors’ advice to abort him. She fought for her son.

In December 2020, Kirsty Dinsdale, 30, gave birth to Jackson. When she was 20 weeks pregnant, Kirsty had been told by doctors that Jackson would likely be born with a severe form of spina bifida, known as spina bifida myelomeningocele, as well as a condition called hydrocephalus, involving an excessive build-up of fluid in the brain.

Refusing offers for an abortion, Kirsty instead opted for medical treatment to help her son. Today, Jackson still requires physiotherapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation and hydrotherapy.

Despite having to fund these treatments themselves, Kirsty and her husband, Johnny, are determined to give Jackson the best chance at life that they can.

“We have been told that this is the optimum time, these are the vital years to really make an impact with a child”, said Kirsty. “That’s why we’re trying to do everything we can to get him on therapies and make a difference…

“I don’t want to look back in five years and wish that we’d done more to help him, so we’re trying to do all we can at the moment.”

And Kirsty has no regrets about her decision not to abort Jackson. “Considering everything that he’s been through, he’s so smiley and cuddly and just absolutely wonderful.”

SPUC comment

A SPUC spokesperson said: “This is an amazing story of a brave mother giving her child a fighting chance at life – both before and after birth.

“As is all too common, doctors urged her to abort her baby because of medical conditions discovered during pregnancy – conditions that were nevertheless treatable.

“Thankfully, Kirsty fought for her son and resisted the pressures and defeatism of doctors.”

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