Health · Healthcare & Policy · 9 hrs ago
Obstetrician who performed termination later delivered woman's son
Sassica Francis-Bruce lost a pregnancy after doctors found the baby had an extra chromosome and would not survive.
She and her partner faced the decision of whether to end the pregnancy, and she had a termination for medical reasons.
An obstetrician she had not met before performed the procedure through the public health system.
Francis-Bruce later became pregnant again, unexpectedly, while still grieving.
The same obstetrician delivered her son Jasper by maternal assisted caesarean, in which Francis-Bruce helped lift him from her womb.
The experience connected the doctor to both a profound loss and the birth of her later child.
Francis-Bruce says she struggled to find a gift that could express her gratitude.
An obstetrician who performed a termination for medical reasons later delivered the same woman's son, Jasper.
The woman, Sassica Francis-Bruce, says the pregnancy she terminated had a condition caused by an extra chromosome that meant the baby would not live.
She was randomly assigned the obstetrician through the public health system.
After the termination, Francis-Bruce became pregnant again three weeks later, without actively trying.
When Jasper was born, Francis-Bruce lifted him from her womb during a maternal assisted caesarean.
- Who
- Sassica Francis-Bruce and the obstetrician who performed her termination and later delivered Jasper.
- What
- The obstetrician later delivered Francis-Bruce's son after performing a termination for medical reasons in an earlier pregnancy.
- When
- The termination took place when Francis-Bruce was 12 weeks pregnant; she became pregnant again three weeks later. Dates for the procedures are not stated.
- Where
- Through the public health system; the hospital is not named.
- Why
- The earlier baby had an extra chromosome and was described as incompatible with life.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Francis-Bruce learned that the baby had an extra chromosome and was incompatible with life.
The randomly assigned obstetrician performed the termination for medical reasons.
Francis-Bruce became pregnant again, without actively trying.
Francis-Bruce lifted him from her womb during a maternal assisted caesarean.
- Earlier pregnancy
- 12 weeks
- Reason for termination
- The baby had one extra chromosome and was described as incompatible with life.
- Pregnancy after termination
- Francis-Bruce became pregnant three weeks later.
- Older child
- Bastian was 14 months old when Francis-Bruce had the termination.
- Later birth
- Jasper was delivered by the same obstetrician during a maternal assisted caesarean.
What people are saying
If we ever get the chance again, I want her to deliver my baby.