Pregnant Mom With Twins Makes Agonizing Choice Over Which Baby She Had To Let Die

A mother will do anything for her children, but for a 30-year-old mom in England, it was in the most unimaginable way. Dwynwen Davies was a pregnant mom who literally had to choose which one of her babies would die after she caught a virus passed down to one of her twins.

An in-depth Daily Mail report described how Davies got infected with slapped cheek syndrome, a virus most humans are immune to. It commonly affects children, but for a pregnant woman it can mean terrible consequences for her unborn baby. In the case of Dwynwen Davies, that’s exactly what happened.

At 12 weeks, the pregnant mom went to her midwife and explained she caught something from a child who was in her care. When Davies recalled the visit, she said her midwife didn’t seem too worried about it. Davies was coughing and sneezing more than usual. It wasn’t until later that pregnant Dwynwen realized how serious everything was.

Davies had to make an agonizing choice as to which of the twin girls would go home with her alive and which she had to let die. The pregnant mom was given the option to accept lifesaving treatment for baby Martha infected with slapped cheek syndrome — or let her die. If she opted for the lifesaving transfusion, she might have saved Martha, but it would have endangered the life of baby Cadi, who was healthy. Either way she chose to go, it didn’t mean a better solution for the lives of her babies.

If Davies opted for the lifesaving transfusion for Martha, the risk of killing both girls remained since they shared the same amniotic fluid. Davies recounted the tragic dilemma:

“I was then given two scenarios, either my baby would fight the infection or it would continue to fill up with fluid until the heart stopped.

“To know that there was a child drowning inside me was horrible.

“I felt hopeless in my own body as there was nothing I could do to save her. I just prayed they’d both make it.”

Slapped cheek mostly affects children and the symptoms include bright red cheeks. The illness is no more than a cold for most people, but bad news for a pregnant mom. If she gets an infection from it, it could potentially mean a miscarriage.

At week 24 in the pregnancy, Martha was critical. She died at 28 weeks and Davies had to carry her for another seven weeks.

“I just prayed that my second baby would survive. Sadly, I was told she had no heart beat at my 28-week scan, I then had to carry both for another seven weeks.

“I’m extremely lucky I have Cadi but that doesn’t ease the pain of losing a child. I wish I had known the dangers of slapped cheek syndrome while pregnant.

“I hope by sharing my story other parents will read about the devastating consequences the virus can have.”

28 weeks was too early to deliver Cadi, so she had to remain inside mom until doctors felt it was safe for Cadi’s birth. When it was time, both were delivered by C-section. The photo above shows Davies holding both Martha and Cadi.

According to the report, slapped cheek syndrome is caused by the parvovirus B19. It causes severe anemia for a baby inside the womb. In the worst case scenario with a pregnant woman, she would have to make the most difficult decision of her life; just like Dwynwen Davies.

[Image via Caters News Agency]