Married couples embark on the beautiful journey of parenthood, a decision that is deeply personal and meaningful. However, sometimes people may question and wonder why certain individuals choose to have children. One such couple that has faced this scrutiny is Charli Worgan and her husband, Cullen, who both live in Sydney and have different forms of dwarfism.
Charli, who has been asked numerous times about their decision to start a family, decided to create a social media account to provide insight into their unique family life. With the birth of their first child and the subsequent addition of a second daughter, their audience on social media quickly grew to an impressive 300,000 followers.
Recently, Charli joyfully shared the news of her third pregnancy, which brought along a mix of well wishes and lingering questions. Due to their genetic conditions, every pregnancy for Charli and Cullen requires careful genetic testing to ensure the health and well-being of their child. The couple wanted to prevent the potential inheritance of the specific forms of dwarfism they carry, knowing the implications it could have on their baby’s health.
Charli candidly shared, “While many celebrate the joy of announcing a pregnancy at 12 weeks, I found myself preparing for Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) – a procedure that involves a needle through my abdomen to extract placenta for genetic testing, with a 2% risk of miscarriage.”
Their two daughters, aged two and four, already have one of the two forms of dwarfism. With the third pregnancy, Charli and Cullen faced four possibilities for their baby’s condition:
- Their baby would be of average height.
- Their baby would inherit Charli’s specific form of dwarfism, Achondroplasia.
- Their baby would inherit Cullen’s specific form of dwarfism, Geleophysic Dysplasia.
- Their baby would have both forms of dwarfism, referred to as “double dominant dwarfism,” which medical professionals deemed fatal upon birth. In such a situation, they would have faced the difficult choice of continuing with the pregnancy or considering termination.
Despite the criticism they received for sharing their personal journey publicly, Charli believes that being open and vulnerable about their experiences is an act of kindness. Today, they are a family of five, with three beautiful children thriving, and they continue to share their story on social media.
Let us celebrate the courage and resilience of Charli and Cullen as they navigate the challenges of parenthood with grace and love. May their family be blessed with a lifetime of happiness and togetherness.
