Every Moment Counts: Support Baby Sophie’s Journey with Edwards’ Syndrome

Cincinnati, Ohio couple Abby Federmann and her partner Zack are a family of three and soon-to-be four, and their hearts are filled with love for their two children. Their son Levi will be turning four this year, and they are due to have their daughter, Sophie Grace, in February 2026.

Becoming a mom has been the most rewarding gift Abby has ever received. Having PCOS, she was unsure if her and Zack would ever be blessed with children.

“With a little help from the doctor and God, we were able to get pregnant with Levi,” says Abby. “He is extremely smart, kind and funny, and is continually showing us the impact of unconditional love.”

This joy was magnified when they discovered Abby was pregnant with Sophie—It was a huge surprise. They knew they wanted another baby, but were not certain when that would happen. They felt super blessed this time since they conceived naturally without any medical help, and Levi was just as excited to become a big brother and have a new best friend.

Following this exciting news, the couple decided to receive genetic testing since they could not wait to find out the gender. Instead of the excitement that comes with a surprise gender reveal, they learned the devastating news that Sophie has Trisomy 18 known as Edwards’ Syndrome, a genetic disorder associated with multiple birth defects and low-life expectancy. Doctors refer to this condition as ‘not suitable for life,’ so Abby and Zack struggled with the extremely difficult decision as to whether they would terminate during early pregnancy, or continue to try and make it full-term.

The couple ultimately decided to let Sophie write her own story, and they continue to trust in God's plan.

“We felt a magnitude of different emotions including sadness, frustration, and even anger,” Abby describes. “It took us awhile to come to acceptance and realize this was part of God's plan for our family. We felt he gave us Sophie for a reason, and we quickly learned He gives us more than we can handle because He wants to help us see it through.”

They are currently meeting with a specialist team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital to help them make some decisions regarding her birth and the extent of intervention they would like for her if she makes it full-term.

“Our biggest concern is making sure she's not in any pain,” she says. “We are also receiving help with navigating this situation with Levi. He talks about bringing her home and showing her all his toys. He has even picked out some Christmas gifts for her. Knowing he might not get to meet Sophie or only have a short amount of time with her is truly unfathomable.”

This team of specialists will help the family with memory-making activities, different types of therapy, and ultimately coming up with the right words to explain to Levi what is going on with his baby sister. 

While the family is not sure what the outcome will be, it is all contingent upon how Sophie decides to enter this world. Right now, they have been seeing different doctors weekly. Abby is receiving monthly ultrasounds, but will soon be receiving them bi-weekly as they near their due date to make sure they are prepared and are not missing critical updates. They are also getting further testing on her heart because there is concern it is not growing properly.

While they are holding onto hope, they are preparing for the complex realities. The family may have an extended stay in the NICU if Abby makes it to term, or God may call Sophie home where she will find her peace after birth. If they are blessed to bring Sophie home, they would need ongoing medical care with at-home visits.

“This journey has given us so much perspective on what really matters,” Abby reflects. “Sophie is a blessing to us and will know nothing but love her entire life, no matter what that looks like on the outside. She has brought our family closer together and closer to God. Not knowing what the future holds is super scary, but we have been able to lean on each other and have the most amazing support system between our families and friends.”

While the overflowing emotional support from family and friends is immense, your donation would help Abby, Zack, and Levi lessen their financial burden so that they could instead focus on the precious time they have with Sophie.

With completely unpaid maternity leave, funding would help this family with daily living expenses while they cherish time with their sweet daughter, or to mourn and honor her memory should they experience a loss before or after birth. In addition, a large donation would help them with therapies, ongoing medical bills, and surgeries not fully covered by insurance if they are fortunate enough to bring Sophie home where her condition will require specialized care and support.

Life doesn't stop for any of us, but Abby, Zack and Levi want to cherish Sophie’s no matter how short or long her journey will be.

“We would be forever grateful for the support received through prayers, shares, and donations as we try to do what is best for our family and for our Sophie girl,” Abby says. “Any help would help lift the world's weight from our shoulders, allowing us to spend every borrowed second simply loving our beautiful daughter.”