Twin Survives 2 Termination Tries In Womb

MDs Thought It Was Only Way To Save Brother; Both Now Healthy 7-Month-Olds

(CBS)  When Rebecca and Mark Jones were told they had to decide whether to let one of their unborn twins die or risk losing them both, they were faced with the worst decision of their lives.

They went ahead with an operation to try to save the healthy baby, but his brother refused to die, surviving two termination attempts during the procedure.

Now, Gabriel and Leuan Jones are 7-months-old, and healthy.

Doctors have nicknamed Gabriel "Rocky," for his fierce determination.

According to the London's Daily Mail newspaper, Gabriel had an enlarged heart, and physicians thought he'd die in utero, and that Leuan would also die as a result.

Doctors first tried to cut Gabriel's umbilical cord, but it was too strong. They then cut Rebecca's placenta in half, so Gabriel's eventual death wouldn't affect Leuan.

But, somehow, Gabriel lived on, even though he weighed less than a pound at the time.

The babies were delivered by caesarean section five weeks later.

On The Early Show Tuesday, Rebecca told co-anchor Hannah Storm their decision "was really, really difficult, but I guess, at the end of the day, we had to decide whether we wanted to go through the pregnancy and come out of it with no babies at all or just one of them."

Gabriel's death, she and Mark were told, was imminent.

"In reality," Rebecca continued, "it was a decision that was quite easy to make, because we desperately wanted both of them," but didn't think they would have either of them."

Gabriel, she explained, had "stopped growing. His body was just shutting down, and he was actually dying. And, because they were identical twins, it was a very, very high-risk that we would lose both of them when he did die."

So she and Mark gave the go-ahead for the termination surgery.

"We just expected to not see him the following morning," she continued, "but, the following morning, when I went for a scan and Mark came in, I said, 'He's still there, and I know he's still there!' And he just continued to grow. But we actually never gave up, because we wanted to both of them so desperately."

[gygls73]

Just be glad the babies are here and their parents are happy. Leave it at that.

And I am so glad this little one is here. May his mom and dad love and cherish both their babies. I hope their life is full of joy!

[michellem99-2009]

I am not cold here. A gent said something and his pain. That pain will never go away. We ladies think men don''t feel it..They do. Ye can throw yer bible words all yer want..It is bullying as I see it. Some babies are not born..The health of the mother to be is the main reason. There are reasons that the family and their doctor knows. It is sad. But that is their business..not ours...Barbara

[cornflower3]

god bless him

[Cas2dy]

What a baby!!! I don''t think that even kryptonite could affect that little guy. he was definately meant to stay amongst us mere mortals. As for those questioning the story of how he got here by almost not getting here, well, let''s just hope that his parents will have the wherewithal to explain it in a way that stresses just how special he is and how strong he is and that he is meant for great and wonderful things. If nothing else, it appears that the bay who was considered to be the strong one will actually be the one with the insecurities considering how special everyone will be making his brother (The Survivor) out to be. God willing, they will both be fine and awesome men.

[lil_d3vil]

I hope the kid never has to hear the story about his birth, as the scars may come at a later date for him.

[grant1934]

At the end of the day, what God have blessed, no man can curse. His plans cannot be broken by man. These children and their parents are blessed. Just pray for thier good health from here on out and do not judge until u have walked in thier shoes.

[jankebenz]

Based on what the doctors said, this couple made the right decision to let the healthy one live. But the plucky little brother made it, and is very loved.This story''s outcome is so much better than the lack of love and care shown towards millions of perfectly healthy babies, slaughtered for convenience.

[korinsha]

Oh boy, here comes the God train...

[ingie912]

This just shows God''''s will not man''''s. Shame on the parents for not having more faith.


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Posted by imstell at 10:20 AM : Nov 06, 2007

Judgement is the Lord''s. God has blessed this family with two beautiful baby boys -- His will WAS done.

[barbjc1]

Dear global_chick, Have you ever been pregnant or had a child. These parents had to make a difficult decision but the angels were with the other baby. You are not GOD, do not judge or it will come back on you three fold.

[inmo-2009]

WOW! What a bunch of jerks!
How can you sit here and rant and rave unless you are aprent who has been in this situation? (My thoughts and prayers are with you who have been there)
Who are we to judge anyone? these people wanted BOTH of their children but were faced with the devetstaing loss of a child not just once but twice. Give them a break.

[babycrazy-2009]

In my opinion we should all practice a little minding our own buisnesss.... who are we to stand in judgement over anyone..in my bible it says and I quote...Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of god." Also Romans 14:10-13
"But why dost thou judged thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother for we shall ALL stand before the judgement seat of christ."(11)For it is written,As I live, saith the Lord,every knee shall bow to me, every tongue shall confess to god."(12)
So then every one of us shall give account of HIMSELF to god (13)" Let us not therefore judge one another ANYMORE: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers path."

[dtopol]

My nephew and his wife were challenged with this exact senario... they chose to let the pregnancy go forward. They now have two happy little girls. Yes, the one with the problems will have a lot of therapy and may never walk, but she''s a happy little 2 year old now.

[ymaguoc]

Wow you guys are so quick to judge! These parents were faced with a life or death decision and they took the steps necessary to SAVE one of their children. Thankfully both of these adorable boys lived. I''m guessing if put in the same situation, all you would do is preach your anti-abortion rants and let BOTH children die because of your selfishness!

[rational_1]

One lives or both die? It seems to me that their willingness to sacrifice one to save the other was the most humane (though still heart-breaking) decision. Shame on the posters who are so quick to condem these patents. If both children had died, would that have made you happy? Of course, that would never have made the news.
Posted by rf35 at 11:41 AM : Nov 06, 2007

But, and this is a big BUT, neither child died. If the abortion attempts had been successful, they would be one son short right now. This uncertainty is the HUGE problem that parents face when making these kinds of decisions - there is a chance (perhaps small) that none of the bad things that the physicians are warning you about will necessarily come true, as in this case. My wife and I were faced with the exact same situation with twins, where one twin had massive hydrocephaly and our physicians were worried about the viability of the entire pregnancy. My wife had an abortion (ya it hurts to write this word even after all these years) and the remaining twin is healthy, but not a week goes by that I don''t wonder what might have happened if we had let things be. There is a very high incidence of severe mental retardation with prenatal hydrocephaly, but it''s not guaranteed. So, I''m left to wonder...

[adknick]

Could be that by separating the twins they actually saved both of their lives.

[rf35]

One lives or both die? It seems to me that their willingness to sacrifice one to save the other was the most humane (though still heart-breaking) decision. Shame on the posters who are so quick to condem these patents. If both children had died, would that have made you happy? Of course, that would never have made the news.

[global_chick]

Shame on these parents. It is truly sad when parents are so willing to "terminate" their child. And why is CBS apparently incapable of using the word "abortion?" Are they afraid of that word or something?

[iyamacog]

I wish people would not be so quick to condemn anyone, until they have walked in their shoes.
No one can honestly say WHAT they would do in any circumstance, UNTIL they themself have LIVED it!

[rational_1]

I wonder if the parents will fill Gabriel in on all of this when he gets older. I would have a hard time looking my son in the face if I did what they did. I''m not being judgmental (because sadly I know exactly what they went through), I just think they will have real difficulties with what happened. Things like this don''t just go away even if they had a happy ending.