My Baby Kicked Inside Me, Then His Hand Was Severed Off in My Womb
A couple was overjoyed when they discovered they were expecting a baby, but at a 15-week private gender scan, they learned their baby boy was missing his left hand, which had been severed in the womb.
Early Pregnancy and Initial Scans
Faith Richmond, 33, a hairdresser from Middleton St George, County Durham, and her partner, Tom Noble, 30, were thrilled in August 2024 to find out they were expecting. At around six weeks, a private viability scan confirmed a healthy pregnancy with a detectable heartbeat, and everything seemed fine
.
Their 12-week NHS scan showed no abnormalities, and genetic screening results came back clear.
Discovery at the 15-Week Scan
During a 15-week private gender scan, the couple learned they were expecting a son, but doctors could not detect his left arm. Faith described the moment as a massive shock, like an out-of-body experience.
Medical Investigations and Diagnosis
The couple was referred to Darlington Memorial Hospital, where the medical team confirmed the baby's hand was missing
and advised further testing to check if he was severely poorly.
Later, at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, their baby was diagnosed with amniotic band syndrome. Doctors explained that a band had severed
his left hand from the mid-forearm. They reassured the couple that the baby would not have felt pain, as his pain receptors had not developed yet.
"It was a massive shock, like an out-of-body experience." – Faith Richmond
Medical staff confirmedthat the baby's hand was missingand recommended further testing in casehe was severely poorly.
The band hadseveredthe baby's left hand from the mid-forearm; however, he would not have experienced pain ashis pain receptors had not developed yet.
Author's summary: A couple's joyful pregnancy turned distressing when a 15-week scan revealed their baby boy's left hand was severed by amniotic band syndrome inside the womb.