BETTY ROLLIN: Leslie, who is from Virginia, and Mary Jo, who lives in New Jersey, have a lot in common. They are both in their mid-30s, both churchgoing Presbyterians, both married, and of course, each was happy when she first learned she was pregnant.
LESLIE: We were lucky we got pregnant relatively soon. We were absolutely thrilled.ROLLIN: The two women had routine sonograms during their pregnancies. And for both, the news was a shock.
LESLIE: Everything was proceeding perfectly until about 18 weeks, when we had an ultrasound that detected severe heart defects. Three major defects and one minor defect. Any of those by itself possibly could have been reparable. But together it was very, very bleak.
ROLLIN: Bleak as well for Mary Jo.
MARY JO CANALES: The doctor came in and told us he could not find the nose on the baby. He couldn't see a nose. And that was basically all that he could tell us at that point.
ROLLIN: The following week, a more detailed sonogram, and more bad news for Mary Jo and her husband, John.
JOHN CANALES: He's missing a lot of the structures of his upper face, no nose, no eyelids, hole above his head, his feet are turned in. We don't know about brain damage; it's probably there, or else he wouldn't have had the clubbed feet.ROLLIN: Both couples' doctors let them know right away that it was not too late to abort. And here their stories take different turns.
For Leslie and her husband Rob, coming to a decision was a long, agonizing struggle. She reads from the journal she kept.
LESLIE (Reading from Journal): "April 27, now we are in hell. On Friday, we had the second ultrasound and a consultation with the doctor -- the worst imaginable. Termination means having to deliver a baby at five months that's been kicking and active. Normal delivery means days to years of fragile life, hospitals, operations, and not knowing. I could write for hours about our confusion, despair, and depression; but I don't have the energy and I'm not sleeping well these days."ROLLIN: When Mary Jo and John were given the option to abort, their decision was immediate.
(To Ms. Canales): Did you have a moment when you considered it?
Ms. CANALES: No, I wanted this baby. I wanted to be the one that wanted to hold him.
Mr. CANALES: My only question was whether her life was in danger, and if it had been, we would have seriously considered the options in that regard. But when they ruled that out, there was no further question.Ms. CANALES: We thought that was a wonderful gift from God and we just didn't want to give it up.
ROLLIN (To Ms. Canales): No matter what?
Ms. CANALES: No matter what. And the way I see it is when somebody gives you a gift, you don't reject it. You don't say, "No thanks."
Mr. CANALES: That's how I see God does things that we don't always understand, and in the end they can be painful, but he has a purpose in them that's even better.
Ms. CANALES: His eyes need to be wiped and drops need to be put in his eyes and ointments and things like that because his eyes are so open and exposed. It hurts him when I have to clean it. His nose also hurts a lot when I have to clean it and do all the things that I need to do. It hurts him a lot. Putting the brace on his arm hurts him a lot because I have to make it stay straight. I'm the one who has to say no when he says, "Mommy, take it off, it hurts." I'm the one who has to say no.
LESLIE: Yes.
