Twins Annabelle and Imogen Weir's premature birth at 23 weeks and four days last April became a cause of great concern for their parents, Claire and James, and the doctors. Their chance of surviving was unclear, especially since they were born on the second trimester of their mother's pregnancy.
The twins came into the world so tiny that they fitted snuggly on each of their parents' hands. They were immediately sent to intensive care where they would stay for at least four more months and undergo surgery, as well several blood transfusions.
"They are the youngest and smallest surviving twins to be born in Scotland," Claire said, according to BBC. Today Annabelle and Imogen are safely at home with their parents.
The twins now weigh 11 and 12 lb. and it's a big improvement from when they were just a pound at birth, according to Daily Mail. The girls still need nasal tubes to breathe but these will come off eventually.
Claire said that she felt guilty for what her tiny twins had to go through but she was surprised to see her daughters' resilience. The twins also surprised the hospital workers who looked after them as their condition continued to progress at the NICU.
"They will always be our little miracles," Claire said. "Now we are experiencing all the normal struggles new parents have but we have loved every minute. We know how lucky we are," the mom said, according to Mirror.
The twins' miraculous progress has brought to light issues regarding abortion. Currently, the termination limit is set at 24 weeks. But as the twins born at 23 weeks have proven, babies can survive less than that with the help of medical science improvements.
"The so-called time of viability where a baby can be born alive and survive outside the womb is going to be pushed lower and lower," Peter Williams of the Right to Life group said, according to Premier. His group would like the abortion limit to be reduced to 20 weeks, at least in Scotland, where the twins are from.
What's your stand on this parents? Should abortion laws reconsider lowering the limit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
