I am saddened that you were wrong to say that a baby with Down syndrome would diminish our quality of life,” she writes. And I’m heartbroken that you would say that to a mom, even today. But mostly I’m saddened that you’ll never have the privilege of knowing my daughter, Emersyn.”

Courtney, who has two older daughters, Rhyan, 15, and Evynn, 11, went on to insist that Emersyn had improved her family’s quality of life and “touched the hearts of thousands”, giving them “a purpose and joy impossible to express”.

My prayer is that you, too, will see true beauty and pure love in every ultrasound,” Courtney concludes in her letter. And my prayer is that, when you see the next baby with Down syndrome nestled tenderly in the womb, you will look at that mom and see me telling her the truth: ‘Your child is perfect.

Thousands of Facebook users saw and reposted Courtney’s message, and many left comments praising the mother of three or told similar stories about their doctors.

I came to you during the most difficult time in my life. I was terrified, anxious and in complete despair. I didn’t know the truth yet about my baby, and that’s what I desperately needed from you. But instead of support and encouragement, you suggested we terminate our child. I told you her name, and you asked us again if we understood how low our quality of life would be with a child with Down syndrome. You suggested we reconsider our decision to continue the pregnancy.

From that first visit, we dreaded our appointments. The most difficult time in my life was made nearly unbearable because you never told me the truth.