A mum of newborn twins with a rare condition in which one twin was effectively being “starved” in the womb has praised the staff at hospitals in both Hull and Scunthorpe for saving the trio’s life after they were born prematurely at 30 weeks.
Lilyth Coglan, 29, from Hull, gave birth to twins Ethan and Arthur Wilson on Wednesday, February 21, via emergency C-section at Scunthorpe General Hospital, after doctors discovered she had a rare and serious condition known as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).
This is an abnormality of the placenta in which the blood flows unequally between twins, and results in one of them receiving more nutrition than the other. In severe cases, it can result in death.
READ MORE:
Due to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) being full to capacity at Hull Women & Children’s Hospital, Lilyth was transported via ambulance to Scunthorpe General Hospital and underwent a C-section.
The mum-of-five said: “I’d gone into hospital on the Monday not feeling very well, and on the Wednesday I had a growth scan and was told I needed to have an emergency C-section or me and my babies would die. We were told that Hull didn’t have any space left on the NICU and that they were trying to find a hospital with space.
“Scunthorpe fortunately did have two spaces for twins, so within a few hours I was driven across the Humber Bridge to have my babies.
“It was pretty worrying, but at the same time, I was glad they’d got to the bottom of the problem and they were trying to save us all as fast as they could. I didn’t really register the severity of what was happening, I was just focused on getting them out because I was concerned they’d die. I wasn’t even sure what condition they would be in when they were born.”
Weighing just 1.72kg (3lb 8oz), baby Ethan was born at 10.54pm on February 21. Three minutes later, Arthur was born, weighing a miniscule 1.01kg, which is just 2lbs 2oz.
“I didn’t see them for more than 11 hours because of how poorly they were, they were put on a bed and taken away,” Lilyth said.
“The staff have been amazing and all worked as hard as they could. Back in history they wouldn’t have had the equipment to save the babies, so we’re very lucky to be alive.”
The babies are still receiving care on the NICU ward at Scunthorpe General Hospital, and are being fed milk through a tube, receiving oxygen, and being closely monitored to ensure their bodies are growing as they should be. Arthur also underwent two blood transfusions due to the complications from the twin-to-twin transfusion.
Following her experience, Lilyth is keen to highlight the lifesaving work that staff on the neonatal units in Hull and Scunthorpe do each and every day – and feels the wards are being “neglected”.
She said: “Hull is currently in capacity crisis and unable to take more NICU babies and Scunthorpe has a very small NICU unit that can only sometimes take patients from outside the area.
“The NICU units have been neglected by the current government and are struggling with funds and equipment. They rely heavily on the kindness of donations. It would be wonderful to highlight the issues and the wonderful care all NICU units provide, and the pressure they’re under with lack of support and funding from government.
“I wouldn’t be alive today without the service – or my babies.”
To find out more about how you can help fundraise for Scunthorpe General Hospital, visit the Health Tree Foundation website here.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe