AN INFLUENCER couple have shared their heartbreaking decision to end their pregnancy following a Down’s Syndrome diagnosis.
Ashley and Jesse Ridgway, who are known for documenting their day to day life in the US, announced the ‘difficult decision’ to their 345k followers online.
Ashley and Jesse Ridgway said they were expecting their baby in the fall Credit: instagram/mcjuggernuggets
Ashley and Jesse Ridgway shared their happy news in March Credit: instagram/mcjuggernuggets
Jesse revealed that his wife was given the ‘gut punch’ diagnosis of Trisomy 21 ( Down’s Syndrome), which happens when there is an extra chromosome.
He wrote on: “This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21. The choice was not made lightly.”
He added: “As excited as we are to become parents, this was a gut-punch.”
The heartbreaking update comes after the pair announced their pregnancy back in March with a sweet image on Instagram.
WHAT IS DOWN'S SYNDROME?
Down’s Syndrome, also known as Down Syndrome or trisomy 21, is a genetic condition that can cause a range of learning challenges.
People born with the condition nearly always have physical and intellectual disabilities.
As adults, their mental abilities tend to be similar to those of an eight or nine-year-old.
Each person with Down’s Syndrome will have different degrees of learning disability, including being slower to learn sitting, standing and walking.
Around one in 10 children with Down’s Syndrome also have another condition, such as ADHD or being on the autism spectrum.
There is no “cure” for Down’s Syndrome, but there is support available, such as access to healthcare specialists and development therapists.
Many people with the condition are able to leave home, have relationships and be largely independent.
They are more likely to have certain health problems however, such as heart disorders, hearing and vision challenges and thyroid issues.
The pair posed with a roll of scan pictures as they smiled happily alongside the caption: ‘Baby Ridgway – coming fall 2026’.
But after learning about the diagnosis, they sought advice from experts, and friends and researched what hurdles could arise for the child and parents.
In the post explaining their decision, Jesse said: “I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated.
“This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.
“When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. If they’re a little slow intellectually, then we’ll make it work.
“I signed on to be a parent, come what may…but I just didn’t fully understand what entailed.”
He added: “Down Syndrome isn’t a ‘blessing’, it is objectively s****y from a health perspective.
“I didn’t realise just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family…more often than not, they would be fully dependent on others for the rest of their life.
“The miscarriage risk is also close to 50%, which made matters worse…they may never see the light of day and it puts Ashley further at risk.”
In the UK, 750 babies are born with Down syndrome each year.
The diagnosis is not brought on by anything the expecting parents did before or during pregnancy.
According to the , people with the condition are likely to have a learning disability to some extent.
However, each individual can be affected differently, with some being able to live independently and work, while others needing more support and care.
According to Down Syndrome UK, some people can develop additional health needs including heart defects and sleep apnoea.
Jesse added: “You never think you’d be in this type of situation until it happens to you and then things change.
“To all of my fans who have weighed in on this topic who have Autism, Down Syndrome or any other conditions…we appreciate you.
“You matter a lot and we’re glad you’re here. I commend you and your families for having the strength and courage to push forward.
“As for us, we made a difficult decision that we believe in the long-run will be beneficial for our family. Thankfully, we had a choice.”
However, the pair received backlash online with the couple receiving death threats as a result of their decision.
He said: “The last 24 hours have exposed a side of humanity that is deeply disturbing.
“Being called murderous pieces of s**t, evil, compared to Hitler and receiving non-stop death threats.”
Jesse has since pleaded with commenters to accept and respect their decision.
He added: “If you can’t contribute anything meaningful to the conversation aside from insults then just don’t post.”
He added that the reason his post has gained so much attention is because “nobody talks about it”.
“I’ve never seen such hate and vitriol for two people grieving the loss of their unborn child and making an impossible decision,” he said.
“I can’t blame people for not talking about these vulnerable experiences publicly because you see the disgusting backlash that ensues.
“There has never been a more important time to speak up and out about the things that matter. Do not let the vocal minority stop you from sharing your truth.”
Jesse confirmed that Ashley is recovering after undergoing the procedure earlier this week.
“Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained,” he said.
The pair plan to try again to conceive in the future.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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