A baby diagnosed in-utero to have encephalocele, defies the odds and was born alive in Utah.
Alyssa and Ben Reidhead prepared for the worst when their first child was found to be suffering from encephalocele while he was still inside his mother's womb. The new parents were devastated that instead of picking out a crib for the birth of their child, they instead chose a casket for his burial.
"We were going in for one of the happiest times of our lives and come out walking like we just heard the worst news we could've ever heard," said Ben about the first time they learned about their son, William's condition.
CDC data showed that only one in every 10,000 babies were born with encephalocele and only 50 percent of those children survive. Luckily, William is one those children who survived, arriving as a bouncing 6 pounds and 12 ounces fighter who breathes on his own.
A Difficult Journey
Ben and Alyssa were on their way to find out their first child's gender during the 20th week of pregnancy. But aside from learning that they are going to have a baby boy, they also learned that he might not survive because of his condition.
They sought opinions from different doctors and specialists but they all said one thing - prognosis is poor. Some would say that the baby could only survive minutes after birth, or could even die during labor.
The reality was too much to bear - too painful that Alyssa started documenting their journey.
On May 17, the couple went to Primary Children's Hospital in Utah so Alyssa could undergo a cesarean section.
A Wonderful Gift
While they were bracing for the worst, the couple heard William's first cry.
The journey is not yet over for the couple, however. William was diagnosed to have cutis aplasia, a rare disease wherein the back of his skull is missing and the brain is covered by only a thin membrane. But the fighter that he is, William is in the ICU, recovering with his head wrapped in bandages.
Ben and Alyssa both know that the journey will be hard, but they take comfort in the fact that their son is alive. Like any mother, Alyssa is scared for the future of her son. She knows William will live a tough life ahead. But they are taking it slow, absorbing all the events that led to the miracle.
The couple who did not expect their son to be born alive was not able to prepare for anything. No formula milk, no clothes and diaper for their little fighter. A GoFundMe account was set up by family members to help the couple raise enough money for all the medical needs and living expenses of William.
In an earlier report by Tech Times, a pregnant teen infected with Zika virus decided to keep her baby despite the possibility that her unborn child might develop microcephaly.
