Shawn Johnson and Andrew East reveal pregnancy complications in emotional video
Amy Haneline
Shawn Johnson and her husband Andrew East, who plays for the Washington Redskins, have been sharing their pregnancy journey from the start. They opened up about a devastating miscarriage and cried tears of joy seeing a positive pregnancy test again. The Olympic gymnast has been showing off her growing bump and even did a pregnant back flip.
But the couple got even more vulnerable in their latest video as they shared some complications their doctor discovered with the pregnancy.
The video opens with the couple going for their 20-week ultrasound where they were in awe over the baby's eyes and spine and legs and tiny feet. They close their eyes so they can keep the gender a surprise.
Then they explain the moment the doctor reveals two complications.
1 in 100 pregnancies
"The kidneys were really dilated, underdeveloped, but dilated, so retaining a bunch of fluid," Johnson explains.
The other thing is that Johnson has a two-vessel umbilical cord, she shares.
The March of Dimes refers to this as a single artery umbilical cord. While most umbilical cords have three vessels (two arteries and one vein) her's only has two.
It happens in about 1 in 100 pregnancies, according to the March of Dimes.
"There are a lot more risks involved with a two-vessel cord," Johnson shares, adding that because the doctor saw these two issues together, it could be a marker that the baby has Down Syndrome, a genetic disorder or a chromosomal anomaly.
"We love our baby so much and not being able to do anything for them was the worst feeling in the world. Welcome to parenthood," Johnson says.
'We pray that all your babies are healthy'
The couple shares they will monitor the baby closely and have pursued genetic testing. They went back to the doctor and will share more in part two of their video blog.
Now they are just "praying."
"I don't care if it's a boy or a girl ... I just pray that our baby is healthy," Johnson said.
They ended by saying they were praying for everyone who is pregnant or trying to get pregnant. "We pray that all your babies are healthy."
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