Would you knowingly have a child with difficulties?

I’m a “it depends” person too. I think if my child was going to be severely disabled, in pain and have a low quality life I probably would terminate. Just being honest.

I also think that it is different now I have a child already, I would consider him and our family already if I knew our second child would have severe disabilities.

No I wouldn't. I had a medical termination at 23 weeks after finding out my baby had severe renal pelvic dilation. It was a very difficult decision. He was my first baby too.

I went to several consultants to see if anything could be done to help him.... they couldn't help him in the womb and if he did manage to stay alive until full term.... he would of never left hospital. He would be born with severe kidney and lung issues and would of basically been waiting for another baby to die so he could have their organs.... it was just awful.

I wouldn't want him to suffer

We were in this situation - we were informed at 20 week scan that our daughter had brain abnormalities, which was then confirmed with an in utero mri of her brain at around 24 weeks. We were offered the option of terminating the pregnancy, which we declined.

She is now 6 and healthy, funny, smart, loving and top of her class. It still haunts me to this day that had we made a different decision, she would not be here.
But I can only have an opinion on our own story and decisions, no one has any right or ability to comment on any one else's.

My friend has a high needs disabled child. DC is lovely, but incredibly hard work (will always require round the clock care) and the impact on them and their other DC is vast - other DC is a real glass sibling, family routine revolves around trying to give disabled DC a happy life.

Its really hard, and not what I'd choose for my family, especially not my DC as siblings.

Massive "it depends". There's achondroplasia in my family for example and I would never have aborted if my child had inherited it, but I know others do.
Life-limiting I think is a hard one to put yourself through more than anything, it's so hard to lose a child. But I think it's hard to know what you'll do until you're in the situation.

I’m not voting on something like this, sorry.

Yes it’s possible that if we had known our child would have significant difficulties, we might have terminated. My late Dh was not so ill back then but his health was still not great and his stability felt fragile.

We did the MaterniT21 test when I was 10 weeks pregnant. I can't say now for sure what we'd have done if the results had been positive but at the time, termination would definitely have been an option for us.

Agree with pp.

It depends on the extent of the issues and the likely quality of life for the child.

I wouldn't knowingly bring a child into the world who was going to do nothing but suffer/live in extreme pain or discomfort.

I don't know. Can you miss what you don't yet know?

My youngest son is disabled, it's hard work, but he brings so much joy. We would not change him for the world but we also made steps to not have anymore children knowing that we would have a chance of having another disabled child.

Depends on how extreme the issues are.

If for example life long, can’t feed, look after themselves. Need 24hr care then no I wouldn’t. Have to think of the children I already have and the responsibilities they would have if I was gone.