Becca Wilson-Burch

Early Days of Pregnancy

She found out at work, during a shift on the ambulance. Ten days post-ovulation, an ovulation test and a follow-up pregnancy test both came back positive. Unsure how to process the news, she waited until her husband came home and excitedly shared the test with him. They were both was so excited.

In the early weeks, they shared the news with Becca's best friend and sisters, and eventually, at 13 weeks after receiving low-risk results on the noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and learning the baby was a girl. They shared the pregnancy publicly and proceeded with what they thought was a healthy pregnancy and baby.

8 Week Appointment

At her eight-week appointment, Becca was warned about her weight and the potential for gestational diabetes due to her BMI. The medical team ordered glucose testing unusually early: one test at 12 weeks and a follow-up three-hour test, despite the first being borderline. The test results showed she was not diabetic, but this early intervention and judgment around her weight marked the beginning of a series of medical experiences that left Becca feeling dismissed and poorly guided.

16 Week Appointment

At 16 weeks, the doctor struggled to find Savannah's heartbeat and ordered a quick ultrasound. Becca was told that measurements looked normal, and the anatomy scan was moved to 24 weeks instead of the typical 20, due to office scheduling and the doctor wanting a "bigger baby". Looking back, Becca now knows that during that 16-week scan, abnormalities in Savannah’s growth could have and should have been noticed because her limbs had stopped growing at 14 weeks.

24 Week Appointment

At the 24-week anatomy scan, the ultrasound technician noted issues with Savannah’s limbs and suspected skeletal dysplasia. Savannah’s limbs were measuring weeks behind, her chest appeared constricted, and her head was measuring unusually large. Yet, Becca and Joseph were given little information during or after the scan. The technician referred them to maternal-fetal medicine, and while leaving the office, a staff member commented to another, in earshot of Becca and her husband, “Yeah, it’s really bad.”

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

At maternal-fetal medicine two days later, a long scan confirmed their worst fears. A geneticist explained that Savannah had a cloverleaf skull deformity and a specialist walked them through a lethality checklist. Savannah had signs of a condition called thanatophoric dysplasia, a life-limiting skeletal condition. Her long bones were only 3 cm long and hadn’t grown in ten weeks. Her lungs had not developed due to a small chest cavity and her large heart. There was no chance of survival.

TFMR Was Denied Due To Abortion Laws in Ohio

Becca wanted to terminate for medical reasons, to spare her daughter suffering and to preserve the precious time they had. But she lived in Ohio, where abortion laws were restrictive. Termination after 20 weeks was illegal, even for medical reasons, unless the mother’s life was in danger. That wasn’t the case for Becca, so she was forced to carry Savannah for nine more weeks, knowing she would die.

Polyhydramnios Diagnosis

The couple decided to pursue palliative care if Savannah were born alive. Weekly scans monitored for signs of distress. Meanwhile, Becca began to retain excess amniotic fluid, developed early contractions around 26 weeks, and was diagnosed with polyhydramnios. At 32 weeks, a scan revealed Savannah had not grown. At 33 weeks, Becca instinctively felt it would be their last appointment. Two days later, her water broke at work.

Savannah's Birth

Becca was rushed to the hospital. Her C-section was delayed due to her having eaten breakfast and the hospital refused to proceed earlier due to anesthetic risk. Becca requested constant monitoring. At 1:36 p.m., Savannah's heart could no longer be found. By 1:46 p.m., her death was confirmed.

Becca had to wait eight more hours to deliver Savannah. At 9:36 p.m., she was born via C-section. Though already gone, Becca was able to hold her daughter in her arms. With the help of their doula from Sufficient Grace Ministries, Becca and Joseph bathed Savannah, dressed her, took photos and made hand and footprint molds. A cuddle cot allowed them to spend the next day with her.

Life After Loss

In the six weeks since Savannah’s birth, Becca has taken time off work to grieve. She experiences waves of intense sadness, disbelief and anger especially toward the system that denied her a choice. Still, she finds moments of peace by tending to a garden planted in Savannah’s honor, filled with daffodils, the March birth flower.

Becca’s message to others is simple and strong: If you’re going through a life-limiting diagnosis, you are not alone. There are support systems out there. There are women who have been through it too.

And Savannah’s name will always be spoken. She mattered. She was loved. She still is.