Woman chose not to abort disabled foetus after seeing its smile

Katyia Rowe was advised to terminate her pregnancy when her unborn baby was found to have a poorly-developed brain and would never walk or talk.

The 3D imaging was taken at 24-weeks to determine the full extent of the disabilities and Rowe told the Daily Mail it made it impossible to follow through with the termination.

"When I saw him smiling and playing inside me I knew I couldn't end his life," she said.

"If he could smile and play and feel then despite his disabilities he deserved to enjoy whatever life he had left, no matter how short.

"As long as he was pain free I vowed to let him enjoy his life both while inside me and outside, no matter how long that be."

Rowe and partner Shane Johnson, from Shropshire in England, discovered they were expecting a baby in March last year.

Their son, who they named Lucian, died nine hours after birth in October.

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Rowe told the Daily Mail they made plans to get married when Lucian started walking so he could take part in the ceremony.

"Shane and I were so excited and looking forward to the birth. We had so many plans for the future and could not wait to meet our baby."

The couple were told their son would have a short life, probably little more than five years, but Lucian deteriorated just hours after being born.

"I was shocked but we had already decided that after his birth we would let Lucian lead the way. I didn't want him given any unnecessary treatment if ultimately it wouldn't help him."

Rowe said even despite the "extremely painful" pregnancy she was glad she got to meet her son.

"It was without doubt the happiest moment of my life. Lucian could have died at any time in my womb but he held on long enough for us to meet properly."