"Inspired by Medical Drama": Couple Chooses Organ Donation After Giving Birth to Baby with Anencephaly

From Medical Drama to Reality: A Life-Saving Choice
Only About 0.01% of Anencephalic Fetuses Are Carried to Term

A story has emerged from the United States about a couple who, after refusing to terminate a pregnancy following a diagnosis of anencephaly, gave birth to their baby and saved another child's life through organ donation. On December 22, Yonhap News TV, citing local U.S. outlet FOX 13, reported on the story of Andrew Ford and Catherine Morningway, who gave birth to a baby with anencephaly and donated her organs.

Andrew Ford and Catherine Morningway holding their daughter Haven, who was born with anencephaly. HCA Florida Brandon Hospital

According to the report, the couple learned during a 14-week ultrasound in July that their unborn daughter had been diagnosed with anencephaly. Anencephaly is a rare congenital disorder in which the brain and skull do not develop normally, making long-term survival after birth impossible. For this reason, most mothers choose to terminate such pregnancies. However, the couple made a different decision. Catherine recalled seeing a scene in the American medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" where a baby with anencephaly was born and became an organ donor. Inspired by this, she decided she wanted to help save other lives by giving birth to her daughter.

The couple named their daughter "Haven," a name meaning "safe harbor" and "light in the darkness." After being born, Haven spent a few days with her family before donating her organs and passing away. Her heart valves were donated to help other babies survive, and her other organs and tissues are also expected to be used to treat critically ill patients. Her father, Ford, said, "Haven passed away peacefully in my arms," and added, "The time I had with my child was very short, but I would not trade it for anything."

HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, where Haven was born, stated, "Carrying a baby to term with the sole purpose of saving another life is never easy. This couple is truly amazing and admirable." The couple said, "Haven's heart will continue to beat in the lives of those she saved." Meanwhile, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), anencephaly occurs in about 0.1% of pregnancies in the United States, and only about 0.01% of these cases result in the baby being carried to term.