Judit Agota was advised to consider fetal reduction at her 7-week appointment when she and her husband, Glenn discovered they were expecting triplets. Judit was considered high-risk due to a heart condition and told that her body wouldn’t be able to handle the triplet pregnancy.
Fetal reduction – it’s a term most of us would have heard when pregnant, especially coming out of our doctor’s mouth. Essentially, fetal reduction is when a mother chooses to terminate one of the babies in a multiple pregnancy. This usually isn’t something discussed for twins, triplets, quadruplets, and any higher multiple births, especially if the pregnancy is high risk.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, while considered higher risk, most multiple pregnancies have positive outcomes for mothers and babies. However, women who have multiple births, and their babies are at increased risk of certain conditions, including preeclampsia, anaemia, gestational diabetes, post-partum haemorrhage, pre-term birth, low birthweight, twin–twin transfusion syndrome and developmental delay. Families with multiple births may also experience financial stress, social isolation, and difficulties in accessing appropriate education (TRA 2019).
The new parents thought it over and decided to stick to the doctor’s recommendation. They booked in to have the fetal reduction procedure done. However, as the couple drove to the appointment, they stopped the car and turned around. It was Judit’s sisters that helped change her mind.
Triplet Having a Triplet Pregnancy
Not only was Judit expecting triplets, but she was also a triplet herself. Judet was born second. She shares her birthday and her life with her triplets, Szilvia and Sofia. Born and raised in Budapest, the girls drifted apart before realising they didn’t feel complete unless they were close to one another.
“In order to live a good and fulfilling life, we would have to stick together,” Judit shared with Love What Matters.
“Helping each other has always been a top priority. This is how we have always been with each other. If one of us needed help, we were there in a heartbeat.”
The triplets all live in Oslo, where Judit met her husband, Glenn. The pair decided to try for a baby and was blessed with news of twins. Two weeks later, at another ultrasound, doctors discovered another heartbeat.
“I felt as if the earth had completely stopped spinning around. Two had already sounded like a heap of work, but three?! It was not possible at all! ‘A triplet simply cannot have triplets,’ I thought. The chances are 1 in 6 million. I was terrified.”
Judit’s mother’s stories of how hard her pregnancy was also flashed into her mind. She could also recall her mother telling her how hard it was taking care of three babies at once.
“I was pretty certain that my body would not be able to handle a triplet pregnancy. I have a weak heart and was operated on my heart some years ago. I have always known that a pregnancy would be challenging for me, much less carrying three babies at once. It would mean that my heart would have to pump blood for three extra people, which is a very hard work even for a healthy person.”
And so, the term fetal reduction came into play.
“After discussing my pregnancy and condition with several doctors, we were highly recommended to consider fetal reduction or, in other words, terminate one of my babies. And so we did.”
Fetal reduction planned
Two weeks later, the couple were booked to have the procedure done. During those two weeks, Judit and Glenn barely spoke as they both contemplated if they were making the right choice.
“It was the hardest and most terrible two weeks of my entire life. For the sake of my two babies, I considered the whole thing as a must and just wanted to be done with it.
I thought I could convince myself that this was the way it was supposed happen. I thought I wouldn’t feel bad because I was doing it for the safety of my children.
But I had three babies, and my heart wanted all three.”
The decision to turn around
As the couple made the long drive to the hospital, they both broke down in tears. Pulled over on the side of the road, they made a decision. While afraid of having three babies, of losing them all if they came too early, the couple decided they couldn’t separate their triplets.
“I felt these babies had to be together, as me and my sisters were. That I could never imagine my life without Sofia and Szilvia and we must keep our three babies together, too.
We decided that against all doctors recommendations, we would keep all three of our babies and hoped that all would miraculously work itself out against all odds.”
Three peas in a pod
Judit experienced a very difficult pregnancy due to her weak heart, but, at 34 weeks, she gave birth to three “healthy and amazing little miracles”.
Filip came first, then Amelia, followed by their tiniest boy Henrik.
Tiny but mighty triplets
“They were so tiny but mighty. They couldn’t breathe on their own and had to spend three weeks in the NICU.”
After three weeks, Judit and Glenn brought their babies home, and the triplets settled in beautifully.
“The house is covered in dirty laundry piles. Meeting friends, going out to watch a movie, or acting like a normal couple just isn’t possible. Anything and everything is about the babies. Yet, even though it can get really tough at times, we have never once regretted our decision.
The thought of my babies having a strong bond like my sisters and I brings me so much joy. I know what it’s like being a triplet, and now I get to experience it from the outside looking in, watching and loving on my children every single day.”
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