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Ellie Simmonds Explores Prenatal Disability Choices in New ITV Documentary

The Paralympic champion examines the medical, ethical, and emotional challenges faced by expectant parents in her upcoming film airing May 27, 2025.

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Overview

  • Ellie Simmonds' new documentary, 'Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?', investigates prenatal disability diagnoses and their impact on parental decision-making.
  • The film features interviews with doctors, geneticists, counsellors, and families at a leading fetal medicine unit in the UK.
  • Simmonds reflects on her own adoption after a dwarfism diagnosis and explores how societal attitudes toward disability have evolved over the past three decades.
  • The documentary highlights the emotional toll and fears faced by parents, along with the need for stronger support systems and inclusive information.
  • Discussing genetic risks, Simmonds addresses the ethical complexities of terminating pregnancies with severe conditions like double-dose dwarfism.