Abortion

YouTuber Jesse Ridgway isn't backing down from the abortion firestorm surrounding his family ... rejecting claims that his own life proves he and his wife Ashley made the wrong decision to not carry their unborn child to term.

The influencer -- aka McJuggerNuggets -- addressed the controversy during a lengthy livestream Saturday, where he appeared to respond to folks who have spent days attacking the couple online over their decision to terminate a pregnancy after learning their unborn baby had Down syndrome.

Near the end of the stream, Jesse took aim at one argument he's seen repeatedly ... saying, "I'm glad my dad didn't f***ing terminate me, but I'm normal."

Jesse and Ashley Ridgway say the backlash they've faced since announcing they terminated a pregnancy because their unborn child had Down syndrome has been so intense, they started sleeping next to a firearm.

The influencer couple joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday, with Jesse revealing he keeps a loaded gun on his bedside table and installed a security gate at their home.

The couple's defense measures come as they're being flooded with hateful messages, death threats, and harassment ... following their abortion announcement.

Influencer couple Jesse and Ashley Ridgway say their inbox is being flooded with death threats ... and it all started after they revealed they terminated their pregnancy after learning their unborn child had Down syndrome.

Jesse says he and Ashley are getting a bunch of "hate and vitriol" for their "impossible decision" ... with folks calling them all sorts of nasty things ... including "murderous pieces of s***" ... and comparing them to Hitler.

What's more, Jesse says critics are using his 6-year-old dog with Stage 4 kidney disease "as a weapon" against them.

Jesse called out those using God and Jesus as a justification for their hate ... telling them they're hypocrites. He didn't mince words, describing those hurling insults at him and Ashley as "trashy-ass people."

Influencer couple Jesse and Ashley Ridgway are opening up about a devastating family decision ... revealing they terminated a pregnancy after learning their unborn child had Down syndrome.

Jesse -- better known online as McJuggerNuggets -- shared the news Wednesday in a series of emotional Instagram Stories, telling followers the couple recently ended the pregnancy after doctors diagnosed the baby with Trisomy 21 ... also known as Down syndrome.

The way Jesse tells it ... the decision came after extensive conversations with medical experts, friends, and family.

He says he initially felt optimistic about raising a child with the condition, but later learned more about the potential health complications and lifelong challenges often associated with the disorder.