Selective Reduction

Selective reduction - the practice of aborting one or more fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy.  

There are many people who have never heard of the term above.  Nor have they ever been faced with having to make a decision whether or not to do it.  As a mother of triplets, I am a member of a couple different multiples or triplet groups online.  The support and advice I get from the ladies in these groups is amazing.  One topic that has come up several times is that of selective reduction.  It's something that is likely brought up by a doctor to any couple who discovers they are having triplets or higher order multiples. There are a number of reasons people choose to reduce.  I think oftentimes it is due to medical reasons. There are certainly a large number of risks associated with a multiples pregnancy, both for the mother and the babies. And sometimes, I think people are fearful that they can't take care of that many babies.  

Selective reduction was brought up to James and I very briefly at our second perinatologist appointment.  I believe the conversation went a little like this:

Doctor: Are you two interested in learning more about selective reduction?  We don't do it here but can refer you to a place that does if you're interested.

Us: No. That's not an option for us.

Doctor:  Great!  Let's take a look at that uterus!

And that was that.  It was never again brought up.  What shocks me is when I hear about all these women in my triplet groups whose doctors strongly urged them to reduce.  Many of these ladies were very much pressured by their doctors, some to the point where they almost felt like they didn't have a choice.  I respect that our doctors told us it was an option, but appreciate that they very quickly moved on when they discovered we weren't interested.  I can't imagine going back to a doctor that more or less tried to force me to eliminate one or more of my babies.  A triplet pregnancy is certainly high risk for everyone involved, but healthy triplets are born all the time.  Our babies are a great example.  Yes they were born early.  And yes they had several weeks in the NICU.  And it was hard.  But they're healthy!   None of them have a single health condition or diagnosed disorder.  I know this isn't always the case.  Babies are born blind, deaf, with cerebral palsy, and so many other health issues, often times due to prematurity.  I wouldn't love my babies any less if they had any of these, but life with triplets is challenging as it is.  I'm so beyond grateful that we were given happy healthy little boys!