Heidi Loughlin: Baby delivered prematurely so mother could begin cancer treatment dies

Ally Louise Smith was delivered by C-section on 11 December, weighing 2lb 5oz

Heidi Loughlin with her daughter Ally Louise Smith (BBC Points West/Twitter)

A baby delivered 12 weeks prematurely in order for her mother to undergo intensive treatment for breast cancer has died.

The girl's mother, Heidi Loughlin, 32, discovered she had a rare and aggressive form of cancer after falling pregnant with her third child.

Ally Louise Smith was delivered by caesarean on 11 December, weighing 2lb 5oz. She died on Saturday.

Ms Loughlin posted a poem about her daughter on her blog.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, doctors said she could terminate her pregnancy to undergo aggressive chemotherapy, the BBC reports.

Instead, she began a milder treatment.

When doctors found this had failed to halt the spread of cancer, she opted to have her daughter delivered early before beginning treatment aggressive treatment.

At the time, she wrote on her blog to say she was "absolutely thrilled" her baby had been born safely.

After the death of her daughter, she wrote: "Yesterday afternoon our hearts broke in two. For we had to say goodby to you.

"Our love for you is a beautiful haze. Even though you lived for 8 short days."