By Dave Andrusko
Emie Scott with sister Ava, 4
Jo Scott says of her young daughter, who just celebrated her first birthday, “She’s feisty, she’s cheeky, she’s independent and she is amazing.” Sounds pretty typical, right?
But only a year ago, doctors advised Jo and Chris Scott four or five times to abort Emie. Why? Because they were persuaded, Emie’s conditions were “incompatible with life.”
First at the 12 week scan and then at the 20 week scan, the Scotts were advised of major chromosomal problems. At 12 weeks, The Mirror reported, the couple were told there was a high chance their baby would have Down syndrome.
“It was at our 20 week scan they told us that Emie was really small for what she should be,” Jo told the Swindon Advertiser. “They thought she had a condition called triploidy, which means they are incompatible with life.”
Emie pictured less than two weeks old
Mrs. Scott told the Mirror
“I felt like my whole world was ending but my gut instinct was telling me she was going to be alright.
“Every time I went to [Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital] they said to me, ‘You should have a termination.’ It must have been four or five times.
“They told me there was an 85 per cent chance she would die.”
Indeed, Mrs. Scott claims that a doctor the hospital “looked her in the eye and told her: ‘She will not make it.’”
But Mrs. Scott could feel Emie wriggling around in her stomach, “and she and husband Chris had a gut feeling that it was going to be OK – so they refused.”
Jo Scott told the Mirror, “I said, ‘I would rather she died on her own than me let somebody physically kill her.’”
Emie, Ava and mom Jo Scott
What explains the prenatal problems? Further scans discovered that her stunted growth was because Jo’s placenta was not attached properly.
Emie’s delivery on October 5, 2015, was by no means an easy one. Jo developed a rare liver and blood clotting disorder and Emie was delivered via C-Section at 31 weeks. “Emie was put on a ventilator and rushed into intensive care, where she stayed for two-and-a-half months.” Mrs. Scott lost four liters of blood, but both were okay.
The Scotts brought Emie home December 17.
Now, a little over a year after her birth, Emie, who was born weighing 1lb, 11oz, “is growing fit and strong.” She went to a petting zoo on her birthday because Emie loves animals.
“It was amazing to think that a year ago we didn’t know what we whether we would be celebrating or not,” Mrs. Scott said. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with her other than the fact she is tiny. I can’t believe she is a year old already,” she added.