FOR weeks, the national tabloids have been obsessed with the seedy squabbling surrounding Liz Hurley's pregnancy.

The actress and model, who has precious little talent other than for generating front page headlines, has branded her former lover - American multi-millionaire Steve Bing - a rat for refusing to accept responsibility for fathering her child.

Mr Bing, meanwhile, has instigated what is likely to become an extremely dirty legal battle by suggesting that Miss Hurley was sleeping with other men while being in a "non-exclusive" relationship with him.

He wants DNA tests to be carried out to prove that the baby is his, accusing her of trying to trap him into unwanted fatherhood, and Miss Hurley has returned to former long-term boyfriend Hugh Grant to help her through the ordeal.

If it wasn't real life, it would make for another far-fetched script from Dallas or Dynasty.

But the very sad thing is that, amid all the claims and counter-claims, the bitterness and the attention-seeking, one person appears to have been totally forgotten - the unborn child.

What chance does the baby have? The father - if it is Steve Bing - clearly doesn't want it, and the mother is certain to be the subject of lurid tabloid headlines all the way up to the birth and afterwards.

This is a matter which clearly must be resolved, but surely it could be done in a more dignified way which showed some respect for a baby not yet born.

As it stands, what an appalling and very sad way to enter the world.

KIM Galvin is also expecting a baby. Kim, from Newcastle, had both legs amputated at the knee after contracting meningitis when she was 25. The disease left her in a coma and the future looked grim.

Now, after fighting back to health and happiness over ten years, she is looking forward to having her second baby, and is learning to walk again with custom-made articificial legs.

It is an inspiring, joyful story of courage and love. Quite a contrast, isn't it?