PARENTS told to abort their baby who was diagnosed with a rare brain condition have praised their 'little warrior' for defying the odds.

Rob Morgan and Sarah Forster were delivered the news at their 19-week scan that their unborn baby had a rare brain malformation.

Known as Dandy-Walker Syndrome, the condition is a congenital brain malformation involving the cerebellum and the fluid-filled spaces around it.

Little is known about the condition, which affects just one in 10k children, and medics advised Rob and Sarah to opt for a termination.

Adamant on giving their baby girl a chance at life, the Barrow parents followed through with the pregnancy, uncertain whether their daughter Mia Amor would survive birth.

"We weren't given much support from anybody because it was such a rare condition," Miss Forster said.

"The doctors told us that termination would be the best option for Mia which wasn't ever an option for us, we always wanted to give her a chance at life.

"I was actually given a card for bereavement counselling at that time when I wasn't even bereaved.

"I carried on with the pregnancy and got private scans of our own and saw Mia was sucking her thumb and doing normal things babies do in utero.

"So that solidified to me what we doing in keeping Mia was the best thing to do.

"We were worried because there was such a lack of information about the condition.

"They didn't think she'd make it past birth and they got a team together for a baby they thought would not survive."

Mia was delivered via c-section at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in November last year.

"Everything we were told to prepare for wasn't the case - Mia was doing brilliant," Miss Forster, who is training to be a chef at Furness College, said.

"Mentally she's developing well, physically she has scoliosis. Because of the hydrocephalus her head was quite enlarged, but other than that she's a happy, content little girl.

"She's such a placid and brilliant baby."

Doctors waited until Mia was a year old before they performed an operation to remove the meningocele on Mia's head and place a shunt in her brain to drain the cerebral spinal fluid, which would reduce pressure inside the skull.

At 13-months-old, Mia returned to the RVI in Newcastle in December to undergo the operation, but unfortunately suffered serious complications.

"It should've been a straight forward operation which normally takes an hour and two and children are out within a few days," Miss Forster said.

"But unfortunately, Mia went into cardiac arrest and the surgery was six and a half hours.

"I've still not really processed that day because we've had to keep strong.

"Since then, she's developed seizures, infections and bad temperatures, she hadn't recovered fully as expected.

"She is slowly coming round - she's been suffering seizures really bad but she is slowly coming back to us - there is going to be a long journey ahead."

Five weeks later, Mia remains in hospital but her parents are hopeful they will be able to bring their 'little warrior' home soon.

"It's been so scary but she keeps me strong and positive. She's already done so much that they thought she wouldn't do," Miss Forster said.

"They didn't even think she'd be here - she got past birth.

"She's such a strong little warrior, her strength gives me strength."

The parents are still unclear about how the condition will affect Mia in the future, but have found support from other parents of children with Dandy Walker Syndrome.

"It's very uncertain to how the condition will fully affect her," Miss Forster said.

"Before the operation, she was a happy, healthy little baby. The seizures are going to affect her.

"Mia doesn't have a bone at the back of her head, so will eventually have to go back into surgery to have that put in so there's still a long way to go with that."

The 36-year-old added: "She's going to have delays which we always knew but her quality of life should be good.

"Every day is a new day and we've just got to take it day by day and she'll grow within her own time.

"We haven't been given a lot of information or support about how the condition will affect her life.

"I've found a lot of help through Facebook pages, with parents who have similar children, mainly in America.

"It's been quite a lonely journey here but the family support has been amazing."

Miss Forster is also urging other parents not to feel pressured into an abortion if their baby is diagnosed with the same condition.

The mum-of-two said: "I want other parents of children with the same condition to know that termination isn't always the answer and some people might feel like what the doctor say goes which isn't the case.

"I couldn't think of anything worse than not giving Mia the life that she was entitled to - it's not all doom and gloom."

A fundraising page has been launched to support Rob and Sarah with Mia's needs.

If you would like to make a donation, click here.