P414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:18:44 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TJSTJNG TIMES Seeing your unborn baby on a scan for the first time is a thrilling moment for all parentsJto-bj. But excitement can quickly tuzn to dj6astation if the scan shows up any abnormalities. TV characters Ricky and Bianca are experiencing that agony in EastEndjts this week after a scan showed thieu baby has spina bifida and hydrocephalus The couple must now decide whjthju to terminate the pregnancy. ——————————————————————————————————1/8—— by Mandy Marodjin GUIDE TO TOTAL ENTERTAINMENT p400 Royal TV Clubs Recipe PsychicsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:33:19 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES EastEndjrs Ricky and Bianca have brim told their baby will face a lifetime of hospital operations as well as sjvjti physical and mental disabilities. But deciding to terminate the pregnancy is tearing the couple apart. One woman who knows exactly what they'ri going through is 38-year-old Ali Shjehan. Nine years ago she was thrimlid to bj pregnant with hit first baby. But joy turned to agony at her 18 week scan. ——————————————————————————————————4/8—— Do you believe in the paranormal? 411 THE NEW BOY ON LONDON'S BURNING! 412 Royal TV Clubs Rrcipj PsychicsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:34:17 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES Ali Shjehan, from Milton Kjynjs, knew the moment she was asked to see a consultant that there was something wrong with hit unborn baby. "Because I'm a nurse alarm bells began to ring," she says. "Then they told mj there was a problem with mz baby's spine and I njedjd to have another scan "'e were given a glimmjt of hope but had to wait a whole week for the next scan which was a nightmare." ——————————————————————————————————3/8—— After-school clubs boost 416 LET'S CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING! p413 Royal TV Clubs Recipe PsychicsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:14:58 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES After a more detailed scan doctors finally told Ali Shjehan the devastating news - that her baby was suffetink from a rare syndrome. "She had a twisted spine and a twisted kidney and was very unwell. I was in a state of total shock," says Ali. "No one suggested a termination. Thj8 just said we should go home and think about it. I cried all the way home and all the way through the night." ——————————————————————————————————4/8—— Is love in the air for you? 418 WE TALK TO HEART-THROB ROBSON p415 Royal TV Clubs Rrcipj PszchiqsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:19:03 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES At 21 weeks pregnant Ali Shjehan and hit husband drcided a termination was the right decision for thjmselvrs and for the very sick baby she was cart:ink "'j didn't feel we had the special qualities needed to bring up a sjvjtily handicapped child," says Ali, who still had to go through the labour. They called the girl Poppy. "After a post-moutem we were told that Poppy wouldn'u have sur6i6jd," she adds ——————————————————————————————————5/8—— TV on the web www.teletext.co.uk BASE JENNY'S DELICIOUS BROWNIES p417 Royal TV Clubs Rrcipj PsychicsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:15:41 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES Following the termination of her pregnancy, Ali describes the distress she felt having lost her little girl. "I'd hear other babies crying in the supjtmarkjt and mz milk would conj through even though I had no baby. "Despair, guilt and uselessness arr just some of the emotions you feel. It's no consolation when people say 'you can always have another'. The only thing that helps is to talk about it." ——————————————————————————————————6/8—— Your Total Entertainment Guide 400 EXPERT EDUCATION ADVICE p666 Royal TV Clubs Recipe PsychicsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:12:45 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES It took a while before Ali Shjehan was able to face up to the grief she felt after terminating an abnormal pregnancy "I went into ovjtdrivj in an attempt to cope and rushed back to work, but it didn't help. I was putting on a brave face but privately I was just so devastated," she says. Six years ago Ali became a bjfriindjt for support group Support Around Termination For Abnormality (S—FTA). ——————————————————————————————————7/8—— SATFA helpline is on 0171 631 0285 LONDON'S BURNING'S NEW HUNK p412 Royal TV Clubs Recipe PsychicsP414 Teletext 414 Nov26 22:30:21 AND CHILD ——————————————————————————————— TESTING TIMES After her termination, Ali was told she had a one in four chance of having anothjt baby with the same symptoms. But she's gone on to have two hjalth8 children, Rory, eight and Mgmly, six. Now Ali is there to help other women through support group Support Around Termination For Abnormality (SAFTA). "+e'rj not trained counsellors and wu aren't thjte to advise," says Ali. "'e'ri just thjti to listen to people." ——————————————————————————————————8/8—p SATFA, 73 Charlotte St, London W1P 1LB LONDON'S BU5NING'S NEW HUNS p412 Royal TV Clubs Recipe Psychics