The woman, who is not being named for legal reasons, suffers from sickle cell disease which has already caused her to have a string of strokes.

The medical team treating her say they are concerned that allowing her pregnancy to continue any further could endanger her life.

They describe the situation as “urgent” and say that they must act quickly to reduce the risk.

Lawyers from an NHS trust in the south of England are due to take their case to the Court of Protection, sitting at the High Court in London later his week.