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The reality of maternal mortality: a father's perspective

… of Jessica's Trust – a charity focused on raising awareness of childbed fever or puerperal sepsis, but more about that in a minute.

First, I'd like to introduce you to my family and give you a small and brief glimpse into our lives.

This is my wife, Jessica, and I just after we were married.

This is Jessica and our daughter Emily, just after she was born... we didn't know she was …

Many returns

… of maternal death to these uncounted cases of horrific suffering and pain from genital tract sepsis and its consequences.

In the meantime, my apologies for going AWOL and my warmest thanks to all those who have left messages of support and appreciation.

Anniversary request

Four years ago today, a good mother died unnecessarily from an archaic illness. The world may not have noticed immediately, but the three year old boy crying in his bed, the six day old girl feeding in her father's arms and the grieving widower did.

Together the three of us have kicked, …

Extracted

This morning I read the extract of Friday's Child, in the Daily Mail . It's strange, reading my words in such a condensed form. They are my words, and it is my story, but only such a small part of it.

It is humbling to read the comments people have left under the story, and so many. Really …

Misconception that matters

When I picked Emily up from school this afternoon (and I can hear what she'd say to me here, "It's not school, Daddy, it's NURSERY school") I said hello to the head teacher as Emily came rushing out.

"I saved this for you," she said, "It's missing a bit but I thought you'd be interested." She …

Don't test, tell

… result. If GAS was only introduced some time after delivery, and it caused a genital tract sepsis, the last thing on her mind would be childbed fever, because she was 'clear'.

It is of far more value to skip the testing and instead take every woman's temperature and pulse regularly in the days after delivery. Then tell her about the condition and how to recognise that she might have …

A chilling hot lunch

… highest place was tied, 18 deaths apiece, between pre-eclampsia / eclampsia and Genital Tract Sepsis. (=childbed fever/ puerperal fever /puerperal sepsis)

Why is it that pregnant mothers are told about, warned about and aware of pre-eclampsia (some antenatal classes are especially good at letting you know it's a danger, even if you're not totally sure what it is) but nobody tells you …

Childbed fever: the facts

Childbed fever (also called puerperal fever or puerperal sepsis ) is a treatable illness that kills mothers. It is defined as infection of the uterus following the birth of a child. This infection, if unchecked, may spread into the bloodstream to cause septicaemia (blood poisoning) - a life-threatening illness that progresses in hours, not days, and may …

An Inspector Calls

I had a visit from the VAT Inspector this morning. I got a bit behind with my VAT Returns and they wanted to make sure I wasn't up to no good.

Business has been slow to non existant for the past few years, so it didn't take long and we soon started to talk about what I was doing now. I showed …

Information for Health Professionals

CEMACH

Saving Mothers' Lives 2003-2005

Genital tract sepsis: Specific recommendations (7, page 97)

All health professionals must be aware of the symptoms and signs of maternal sepsis and critical illness and of the rapid, potentially lethal course of severe sepsis and septic shock:

Maternal tachycardia, constant severe abdominal pain and …