A Scottish mother who ignored medical pressure to abort her unborn baby has given birth to a healthy boy. Lauren Webster, 21 from Cumbernauld, who has previously suffered from two miscarriages, was asked repeatedly by medical staff over the course of her pregnancy if she wanted to abort her baby after it was discovered through a 13-week scan that her unborn child had a ‘bladder obstruction’, with a low chance of survival and could possibly be suffering from a genetic disorder- Edward’s Syndrome.

However, Ms Webster resisted all pressure to have an abortion claiming that she had a ‘gut feeling’ her baby would survive. Doctors were left stunned when her son, Ollie was born with no health problems at all, as his ‘bladder obstruction’ had managed to correct itself and the diagnosis of Edward’s Syndrome was ruled out at an earlier scan.

Speaking to The Scotsman, Ms Webster said: "When I found out I was pregnant I was very scared because of what happened before. But I just had a gut feeling that this was my time. When I went for my 13-week scan, the doctor told me he had a bladder obstruction. She asked me if I wanted to terminate, saying there was a low chance he would survive. Every week she was asking me if I wanted to terminate. She said she had to ask me."

She added: "Everything they told me turned out not to have happened. If someone else was to go through that experience, I wouldn’t want them to terminate, because you don’t know what’s going to happen."

Bullied to abort

Shockingly, the issue of pressured and coerced abortion is becoming common-place in the UK, particularly in medical settings. It was reported at the beginning of this month that doctors told pregnant mother, Natalie Halson, to abort her daughter, Mirabelle, ten times after diagnosing her with spina bifida and claiming she would have a ‘poor quality of life.’ However, Ms Halson gave birth to a healthy baby girl and after a spinal operation is now confident that she will live a happy and normal life.

Ms Halson said: "They made out like an abortion was my only option and explained that if I went ahead with the pregnancy my baby would be wheelchair-bound and have no quality of life. [The pressure] was so insistent even after I'd repeatedly said no. But I was getting offered a termination just weeks before she was born that really upset me. She was a proper little person at that point. It was vile to think they just wanted me to get rid of her. I was offered an abortion at every appointment I had up until the day she was born - about ten times in all."

Ms Halson added: "I would recommend to any parents who are advised to abort that it isn’t the only option, no matter what the hospitals try and tell them. And always go with your gut instinct; something inside told me that my baby was going to be OK - and look at her now, she’s perfect."

Pressure from providers

Despite healthcare professionals being told to remain vigilant when screening for pressure of coercion surrounding abortion, a shocking 2016 Care Quality Commission (CQC) report uncovered high-pressure sales practices from one of the UK’s largest abortion chains, Marie Stopes. The damning report, which forced the abortion giant to temporarily suspend half of its services, found that Marie Stopes facilities were applying pressure on women, encouraging them to abort their babies.

One section of the report revealed that clinic staff were being paid financial bonuses for encouraging women to undergo abortions. After the damning report was released, one woman came forward claiming that her experience with the abortion chain was in line with the report’s findings. She said: "I saw several nurses and explained my situation. I felt like they wanted me to have an abortion. The place was chock-a block with people. It was like a conveyer belt. When I told them I didn’t want the abortion they accused me of wasting their time. I was ushered out of the door half-dressed and in tears."

SPUC Scotland Director of Communications and Campaigns, Michael Robinson, said: "The scandalous reality behind the veneer of choice, is that pregnant women are increasingly exploited and pressured into abortion. Recent research by the UK charity, Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline (ARCH) has found that 75% of female clients state that they had an abortion because they had felt pressure from a loved one. Whilst pressure and coercion can come from a variety of sources, intimate partners are the main culprit.

He added: "The stories now surfacing of these young women who have been pressured to abort their children, show not only an entire lack of compassion and care from medical staff, but also just how seriously mistaken medical staff can be."

Photo:  The Scotsman