lifenews.com
2023-05-31
A mother who refused pressure from doctors to abort her son, Hendre, has lauded the "greatest gift we could have received... I wish they could hear me when I tell them it's okay to have a child who's different from society's idea of 'normal.'"
Mariaan Strauss, 25, from South Africa, and her husband Hendrik, 26, were pressured by a doctor to abort their unborn son after a scan at 23 weeks revealed that he wasn't developing arms.
Following the scan, a doctor told them, "You're selfish if you don't abort. You must think of the child. He will never be able to have a normal quality of life."
Mariaan and her husband were at first worried and scared about the potential challenges that awaited them if they didn't abort Hendre.
"There was self-blame and pain. And the fear of the unknown and an uncertain future", explains Mariaan. "Society is cruel, and I thought will our child ever be accepted? Is he going to be mocked and bullied?"
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