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Children with trisomy 13 or 18 generally do not survive beyond their first year of life, and those who do are severely disabled lives a short life. When diagnosed before birth, parents often decide to have an abortion and those who continue the pregnancy often have a miscarriage.  Parents are often told 87% said their child would be "incompatible with life", whilst 50% stated their child would be "a vegetable" and 57% said the child would have led "a life of suffering". 57% of healthcare providers said a child with these disabilities would have "ruin their family or life as a couple" (23 %) Many parents who chose to continue the pregnancy wants life-prolonging interventions for their child and more than 97% of the surveyed parents felt that regardless of how lone their child lives or lived, it will enhance the family’s life.Parents, whose baby is newly diagnosed with trisomy 18, who join a parental support group often adapt a more positive image of the diagnosis compared with the predictions of the medical profession. The majority of surveyed parents reported that the support group helped them to see their experience in a positive light. 

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Peter is a beautiful boy born with full Trisomy 18. His family found out two days after his birth that he had this condition. Trisomy 18 was described to them as a fatal condition with rare survivors who only live a few weeks. Peter's parents wanted him treated like any other child. 

Some difficulties arose because of this.  Peter has had a P.D.A. ligation, a hernia repair, and a liver biopsy.

Peter's family cherishes each day they have with him.  They are strongly supported with many prayers from family and friends. Many doctors and nurses have also given the family much support.

Peter has brought his family closer together and has inspired them in many ways.  He has taught his siblings many lessons about life and perseverance. Peter is now 9 months old and he is a trisomy 18 survivor

Bella Santorum, the youngest daughter of Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, was hospitalized.

Bella, age 3, suffers from Trisomy 18,  where the survival rate is about 90 percent of those born with the disorder die in their first year of life. Santorum has discussed his daughter's condition many times on the campaign trail, describing her survival as "miraculous."

For more stories:

http://www.prenatalpartnersforlife.org/TouchingOurHearts/TouchingOurHearts.htm