Against all the odds, the couple has now welcomed three beautiful babies!
What can be considered “different,” and what, on the contrary, is “normal”? Charli Worgan and her husband, Cullen Adams, have often been considered different because they both carry rare forms of dwarfism.
This “difference” has always been a gift, which is why they decided to share their life – that of an ordinary family – on social media, particularly Instagram. And life reserved another gift for this couple: it gave them three beautiful children.
Many people think that individuals with dwarfism cannot conceive children or that, if possible, their children will be born with defects or will themselves be carriers of dwarfism. However, this couple proved them all wrong! Charli is an Australian carrier of achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, and in 2012, she married Cullen, a man with achromic dysplasia, a condition that prevents his body from growing taller. The two have always dreamed of starting a family. They knew that their children could inherit their physical condition, but after years of doubts and fears, Charli got pregnant for the first time in 2015.
Since Cullen’s short stature and mine are due to different genetic defects, there are four possibilities: our babies could be of normal height or born with my achondroplasia or Cullen’s achromic dysplasia. There is also the possibility of developing both defects, meaning he would not survive long after birth. I would have had the choice, should this occur, to carry on and see how things go or to terminate the pregnancy,” wrote Charli on Instagram.
The first pregnancy went better than expected, and the firstborn inherited the “genetic defect” of maternal achondroplasia; Charli became pregnant again in 2018, and the baby inherited the pathology from the father. In 2020, Charli became pregnant for the third time; the baby, however, did not inherit the peculiarities of the parents and was born with a size considered “standard.” The parents’ joy when they heard the news was immense.
“I’ve coped criticism for choosing to have babies with these odds, and that’s a whole story in itself; however, by sharing this tiny piece of the puzzle, those who doubt can see that bringing a child into this world with my odds is no simple decision, and it’s all about being kind,” said the mother.
“I’m so happy to be pregnant again this time. I am also infinitely grateful to have been lucky each time with my child because of the genetic risks that could have arisen. I feel like this baby is going to give me the ultimate satisfaction because now our family is finally complete!” she added.
A happy and unique family in its “diversity,” what else does it matter?