{"id":2447080,"date":"2026-06-05T22:12:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T22:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2447080"},"modified":"2026-06-05T22:12:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T22:12:56","slug":"youtuber-jesse-ridgway-defends-decision-to-terminate-wifes-pregnancy-after-down-syndrome-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/youtuber-jesse-ridgway-defends-decision-to-terminate-wifes-pregnancy-after-down-syndrome-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"YouTuber Jesse Ridgway defends decision to\u00a0terminate wife&#8217;s pregnancy after Down syndrome diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>YouTuber Jesse Ridgway is defending his and wife Ashley\u2019s<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/06\/04\/celebrity-news\/youtuber-jesse-ridgway-and-wife-terminate-pregnancy-after-down-syndrome-diagnosis\/\"> decision to terminate her pregnancy<\/a> after discovering that their unborn child would likely have Down syndrome.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen it comes to being a first-time parent, or just trying to start a family in general, you don\u2019t know until you\u2019re thrust into this situation. You\u2019re always just trying to make the best decision you can to benefit your child and your own life,\u201d the content creator exclusively told Page Six on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Jesse (known as McJuggerNuggets online) explained that he initially became \u201ccomfortable\u201d with the idea that their child would have the condition, which occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>YouTuber Jesse Ridgway (seen here with wife Ashley) spoke with Page Six on Friday after revealing that they chose to terminate Ashley\u2019s pregnancy after discovering that their unborn child had a high chance of having Down syndrome. <span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/@mcjuggernuggets<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cYou\u2019re always just trying to make the best decision you can to benefit your child and your own life,\u201d Jesse (seen here with Ashley) explained to us in an exclusive new interview. <span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/@mcjuggernuggets<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cI was OK with it. I can love a kid no matter what, and we\u2019ll make it work,\u201d he recalled thinking.<\/p>\n<p>However, the more research the couple did, the more they realized the challenges they might face.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe second I started to get confronted with stat after stat after stat, and when I realized that more than likely I will have to bury my son, that is not what I wanted to sign up for,\u201d Jesse explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want my kids to outlive me and to be fully functional and be able to live a good life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jesse noted that many people with Down syndrome need 24\/7 care and often battle health issues like heart defects and other disorders that bring them \u201cin and out of surgeries.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The content creator (seen here with Ashley) told Page Six that he was initially \u201ccomfortable\u201d with knowing that his child might be born with Down syndrome. <span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/@mcjuggernuggets<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The couple (above) ultimately decided to terminate the pregnancy.  <span class=\"credit\">ashreneeridgway\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt starts to get really damning, and it just didn\u2019t make sense for us,\u201d he continued. \u201cI hope people can empathize with that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Jesse, one of the toughest parts was coming to terms with the fact that he and Ashley had already been preparing for their baby\u2019s arrival.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were imagining for months what our lives would be,\u201d he said. \u201cYou get the nursery ready. Ashley was already buying clothes, and we\u2019re thinking of what could be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After sharing their heartbreaking decision, the couple faced an onslaught of criticism from the public, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/06\/05\/celebrity-news\/youtuber-jesse-ridgway-defends-badass-wife-after-terminating-pregnancy-over-down-syndrome-diagnosis\/\">including death threats.  <\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m used to the public scrutiny just from being in the space for so long. But I\u2019m just trying to be as strong as possible for Ashley, because she\u2019s the one bearing so much of the weight,\u201d he said, adding that coming forward has \u201cexposed a nasty side of humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cI want my kids to outlive me and to be fully functional and be able to live a good life,\u201d Jesse (seen here with Ashley) said.  <span class=\"credit\">ashreneeridgway\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Ashley (above) wanted to share her experience to help other people going through the same struggle, Jesse said. <span class=\"credit\">ashreneeridgway\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Jesse explained that he and Ashley \u201clove\u201d and \u201cvalue\u201d life. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a lot of fans with Down syndrome that I cheerlead and support, and it\u2019s sickening that people twist and have made it into so many different things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>While Ashley was \u201cdistraught\u201d over the loss of their child, she ultimately wanted to share her journey with the public so she could help others experiencing the same struggle. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe wanted this to be representative of other women going through this,\u201d Jesse explained. \u201cAnd if anyone is struggling with what to do, I hope they feel comfortable at least talking about it more after seeing our story.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cShe wanted this to be representative of other women going through this,\u201d Jesse said of his wife (above).  <span class=\"credit\">ashreneeridgway\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Jesse said his wife (above) was \u201cdistraught.\u201d  <span class=\"credit\">ashreneeridgway\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a very nuanced conversation,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>As for how he and Ashley are coping, Jesse said it has been \u201ca hard two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll have a mini breakdown, it honestly might be hourly at this point,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re just trying to process that this happened.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Jesse, who has been vlogging for two decades, shared that he and Ashley made the \u201cdifficult\u201d decision to terminate the pregnancy after finding out that their baby might be born with Trisomy 21, also called Down syndrome.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe choice was not made lightly,\u201d he said at the time. \u201cWe are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>They announced their pregnancy in March.  <span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/@mcjuggernuggets<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The couple has been married since October 2025.  <span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/@mcjuggernuggets<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They had documented their pregnancy journey with their social media followers, sharing that they were expecting a child in March. The next month, they<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DXmgZK5kTEW\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0announced their baby\u00a0<\/a>had a 95% chance of being born with Down syndrome. <\/p>\n<p>Jesse and Ashley, who got married in October 2025, are still planning to have children someday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn as soon as potentially a month, a month and a half, we can start trying again,\u201d he told us Friday. \u201cWe\u2019re excited for that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source pagesix.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>YouTuber Jesse Ridgway is defending his and wife Ashley\u2019s decision to terminate her pregnancy after discovering that their unborn child would likely have Down syndrome. \u201cWhen it comes to being a first-time parent, or just trying to start a family in general, you don\u2019t know until you\u2019re thrust into this situation. You\u2019re always just trying [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2447081,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25177],"tags":[305647,24003,360791,480103,25404,22507,23844],"class_list":["post-2447080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrities","tag-celebrity-babies","tag-celebrity-news","tag-celebrity-pregnancies","tag-down-syndrome","tag-exclusive","tag-parents","tag-youtube"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/YouTuber-Jesse-Ridgway-defends-decision-to-terminate-wifes-pregnancy-after-Down.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2447080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2447080"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2447080\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2447082,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2447080\/revisions\/2447082"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2447081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2447080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2447080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2447080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}