A couple dealt the devastating blow that their unborn child has a serious and potentially fatal heart problem are raising awareness of the condition.

Rebecca Coyne, 21, and Reece Wyatt, 25, of Addington Street, Margate, were over the moon when they found out they were expecting.

But at the routine 20-week scan, an issue was highlighted by the QEQM Hospital and they were referred to a hospital in London, where they were told the heartbreaking news their child would be born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).

Miss Coyne, now 25 weeks pregnant, said doctors are unable to give her baby a life span, meaning they have no idea how long they will have him for.

“Until he is born the doctors can’t say,” she said.

“He will have to have three open heart surgery operations by the time he is three. He could have the first one at a day old or it could be a week.

“They don’t know until he’s born. At the moment I’m keeping him incubated in my womb so that keeps him safer – it’s more of a risk when he’s out.”

Miss Coyne said they are devastated but want to raise awareness about the little-known condition.

"When you have a child you plan to have them for ever, so this is very hard" - Rebecca Coyne

HLHS is a congenital heart defect. When the baby develops during pregnancy, the left side of the heart does not form correctly.

It means the left side of the heart cannot pump oxygen-rich blood to the body properly.

Treatment involves three surgical procedures which would eventually allow the right side of the heart to take over the work of the left side.

Some countries, however, recommend a heart transplant.

There is no cure for the condition and further problems can develop in adulthood, which can lead to an early death.

Miss Coyne said she was finding it extremely hard but wanted to speak out to raise awareness.

Her partner is also planning a special banger racing event to highlight the condition.

“Every child is different and it’s not that well known. I think it’s more common in the US,” she said.

“If there’s one positive thing to come out of it, it will be to inform people about it.”

She said they will “cram everything into each day” once their little boy – who they are going to call Harrison – is born.

Miss Coyne will be induced on December 19, two weeks before her due date, and the operations will take place at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

She added: “We do use Facebook and speak to mums with children with the same condition. There are quite a few positive cases and that makes us feel better.

“I need to have hope but I don’t want to build it up too much as I will be even more devastated.

“When you have a child you plan to have them for ever, so this is very hard.”