A pregnant wife whose husband had terminal cancer had their daughter induced two weeks early so he could see the baby before he died.

Five days after Diane Aulger gave birth husband Mark died, having had his wish to to hold daughter Savannah.

He "cried, and he just looked very sad," his wife said.

The 52-year-old from Dallas, Texas was diagnosed with colon cancer in April. He had surgery and chemotherapy which seemed successful.

Then in November he began having trouble breathing due to complications from the treatment and in late January was told he had only a few days to live.

"Mark said, 'I'd like to see the baby,'" 31-year-old Mrs Aulger said. Hospital staff arranged for the Aulgers to share a large labour and delivery room.

Mr Aulger held his daughter for about 45 minutes after she was born. But for the next two days he was so tired he was only able to hold her a couple of times for a minute or so. He slipped into a coma on January 21 and died two days later.

"I brought her home the night before he fell into the coma. It was just me and Savannah when he passed away," Mrs Aulger said.

Along with Savannah, the Aulgers have two other children, aged 10 and 7. Diane also has a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old.

Mrs Aulger plans to blanket her home with pictures of her husband and said her children were already keeping his memory alive by talking about him."We're living day-to-day as if dad's still here," she said. "We know dad is here with us. They talk to dad. Mark was a very funny, funny dad."