Maternal deaths are an outrage
Thu 21st May 2009 by Ben Palmer."In the 21st century, no woman should have to give her life to give life."
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (Reuters 19 May)"We must find a way to get maternal mortality recognized as a key indicator of a functioning health system. Let us work together to make sure maternal mortality is a problem of the past and not our children's future."
Sarah Brown (Reuters 19 May)
The justifiable outrage that pregnancy and childbirth continue to kill 529,000 women and leave 1 million children motherless worldwide every year is, naturally, focussed on developing countries where childbirth is far more dangerous than we can imagine.
However, the words of our own Prime Minister's wife and the Secretary-General of the United Nations words at this week's World Health Organisation's annual congress in Geneva are just as applicable to us. Why are our mother's vulnerable to an archiac disease such as childbed fever, which is still one of the most common causes of maternal death?
I feel sure that Jasmine Pickett's and Amy Kimmance's families, amongst others, would join me in asking this. I hope that the Coroner in their Inquests, currently being heard in Winchester, may be able to shed some light on the answer.
In February this year my daughter, too, gave birth to a beutiful healthy daughter. She had come home the day the baby was born and both mother and baby were doing wonderfully. On the third morning my daughter's temperature had gone up, she had a headache and cramping stomach pains. The Doctor was called. Three hours later when noone had been to see her, the surgery was called again. Her temperature by now was 103. The Dctor arrived and although she said that hospital was probably the right place,she did not insist on it and prescribed antibiotics. Mercifully, an experienced Midwife called round on a routine visit at about 2 o'clock. She took one look at my daugther and said "Hospital, I think? Don't you?" I agreed heartily and within half an hour she was admitted to the Labour Ward who took one look and immediately sent her up to the HDU and within a short space of time 8 doctors and nurses were fighting for her life. We were later told that one hour later and her system would have closed down past any hope of saving her.
The terrifying aspect of this Streptococcus virus is the speed with which it takes hold. If that Midwife had called one hour later another avoidable tragedy would have taken place.
The treatment my daughter was given in this emergency was beyond reproach and saved her life. What was so awful in retrospect was the fact that we so nearly lost her and that with more education the situation might never have reached such a critical stage.
She is now completely fit and well and both she and her beautiful baby are enjoying life with a happy and relieved husband and baby brother.
I fully support your petition and wish you the very best of luck in your campaign. If you should need assistance at any time please let me know.
Diana Gough
Diana
Diana,
What a story. I have tears in my eyes. This just goes to underline the importance of speed in recognition and treatment.
Your daughter should never have been able to get so ill as to need admittance to the High Dependency Unit, but thank everything good in this world that she got there in time and is now alright.
If only Jessica and the others had been readmitted sooner...
Her death is her legacy to all future mothers, let's not let it be wasted. I'll contact you by email in due course if I may.
Ben x
Dear Ben,
)
I feel very deeply about your campaign. Having suffered very badly from day 3
(3rd baby incedently called Ben
with an infection of the womb, at a temperature of 105 degrees my GP merely commented on the fact it was the highest she had ever recorded and prescribed me a handful of anti biotics!
The next few days were a complete blurr I was so delirious.
On this occasion too I had been sent home after 6 hours of giving birth, with no transport I walked home just short of a mile.
I was never sent back to the hospital with the infection, I have never felt so ill I couldn't do a thing.
Reading your story makes me realise how lucky I am and how important it is that awareness is raised.
I have left an award for you on my blog http://buffyscharms.blogspot.com/2009/06/honest-scrap-award.html
It's not much and don't expect you to pass it on but it is sincere from me
~Buffy x x
Thank you for you support, and now I understand why. Thank you too for the blog award, I'm touched.
Thank goodness those antibiotics worked - It sounds to me like your GP should have sent you to intensive care.
Yet another terrible story. Nobody should be allowed to get this ill.
My very best wishes to you and your family.
Ben
How the hell could this happen in a civilised country? Romania gets a couple of these a year, but you? God, it makes me so angry...
Dear Ben,
After recently giving birth to my beautiful son, I unfortunately developed sepsis 5 days later. I realised there was something seriously wrong as my temperature was 39.4 and I had severe rigors.
Fortunately I went straight to A&E where I was admitted and kept in hospital for the following week hooked up to IV antibiotics and paracetamol.
Until I had this, I was not aware of this condition after childbirth and I 100% support your campaign about making people more awareof the sigs and symptoms to ensure prompt treatment.
Every night I lie in bed and feel so grateful to be able to be here and when I came across Jessica's trust I was even more thankful. I am getting married in 6 weeks and I know how close it came to this day not happening.
You are doing a fantastic job and your wife will be extremely proud of you!
Me and my partner are going to do all we can over the coming months to raise money for Jessica's trust as it is a cause very close to our hearts.
Our first fundraiser is starting with my partner Steven doing a sponsored leg wax, ouch!
I wish you and your children all the best,
Vicky Hall
Fantastic job you're doing, I almost died while giving birth to Sam, for about the same reason. People need to be aware that childbirth is not that simple, even if it's a natural thing.
Oh, and please make more frequent posts, I'm also thinking of starting a blog in support of yours.