Termination for Anencephalic baby - am I doing the right thing?

[KatyH]

We just found out today that our unborn baby (16 weeks) is anencephalic i.e. the brain and skull have not developed, it's a form of neural tube defect. We've been told that if we carry the baby to full term and if it is not stillborn then it will probably only live for a few hours. I am booked in for a medical termination but feel absolutely appalled at the idea of doing something to bring about the death of a much wanted baby. I know logically that it would be hastening the inevitable but I can't get the images of the scan out of my head, which showed an otherwise perfectly normal baby kicking its arms and legs. I think I would have coped much better if I had had a miscarriage.
Does anyone else have any experience of this, or at the very least, medical terminations (which also terrifies me)?

I just had to send my condolances. Life gives us some shitty decisions eh?

FWIW I think you are doing the right thing, to go thru childbirth knowing that poor baby will be stillborn, or will die shortly is just horrendous.

I have not read the entire thread.

Howevr I hope you get some peace, and are able to do some kind of funeral/memorial so you can complete

Bless you XXXXX

Oh shit this is 3 yeard old! well lets hope all the poor ladies on here have moved on to happier days

My heart goes out to you KatyH - how incredibly sad.

I don't have any advice, but this is something DH and I talked about going into my pregnancy, and this is the condition we would have aborted for, because we thought it was the kindest thing to do for the baby. I decided I would rather my baby didn't ever 'wake up' and then have to suffer for a short, painful life, that's why I would have had a termination.

I think you are being a very loving and strong person, and I don't think anyone could think otherwise.

I'm so sorry for you, Katy.

I've been wittering on here for weeks stressing about not having the kind of birth I want and this has brought me down to earth with a much needed bump.

My thoughts are with you.

xx