This is a pro-life, faith- based support system. We welcome people of all faith backgrounds- or even no faith background at all- to share stories of love and hope.
We cannot, however, offer referrals, resources or information regarding early induction of your pregnancy due to medical reasons, or termination for medical reasons.
We can provide referrals to organizations which specialize in counseling for post-abortion regrets/grief.
The decision to terminate a pregnancy because of fetal anomalies, or carry the pregnancy to term is a personal one.
While we would never presume to judge anyone for their choice to terminate a pregnancy, all of the families here have made the latter choice, and wish to offer support to one another in a safe place, and in a spirit of peace and love.
Thank you for respecting the value we place on our children's lives.
(THIS WEBSITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, PLEASE EXCUSE THE MESS. Thankfully, we are a very small group of parents. Also known as Short Cord Syndrome and Body Stalk Anomaly, children diagnosed in utero with LBWC have multiple, severe fetal anomalies which are usually incompatible with life. Because of this, many families choose to terminate their pregnancies before these precious children are born. This is a safe place for anyone making this decision.
We are in the process of adding more photos and stories. Please check back frequently for updates. This is just the beginning of an effort, there is much more to come!)
We began this journey, hoping to bring together families of unborn children diagnosed with Limb Body Wall Complex after an ultrasound.
Among the numerous defects involved in this diagnosis, a large or giant abdominal wall defect is always present, in addition to any of the following: cystic hygroma, complex heart defects, missing internal organs, spinal abnormalities (including kyphoscoliosis and spina bifida), and deformities of the face, skull and extremities. Most cases also present with a short or absent umbilical cord, sometimes with the fetus' abdomen fused directly with the placenta.
The birth of each of these children has been lovingly anticipated by a family who had hoped to bring them home at the end of an uneventful pregnancy. These parents have had to struggle, making heartbreaking choices regarding a child that they have yet to meet.
They may choose to terminate the pregnancy because of fatal defects early on in their pregnancy. They may also choose an early induction for medical reasons to end their pregnancy, if umbilical cord length is not an issue, and their pregnancy has progressed to a far enough point where they feel that they may find comfort in holding their child after fetal demise. This would be considered a late term abortion for medical reasons after 20 weeks (this may vary according to different state's statutes).
The families here have chosen to continue carrying their pregnancy to term with a poor prognosis- utilizing perinatal hospice care (where available) and/or palliative care in the event that their child is born living. Some parents do attempt surgical intervention to save the life of their child, but at this point, there are very few survivors of Limb Body Wall Complex.
This is not a medical website- it is a site aimed at supporting and informing parents who have decided to carry to term. Any information here has been gathered through personal experience. Please consult with your doctors regarding your individual care, and the care of your children.
We hope to offer emotional support to any family who has chosen carrying to term with a diagnosis of Limb Body Wall Complex.
You may have been told that your child has a condition that is "incompatible with life", but we know better- and we are here to honor the life that your child will live.