A Mother's Heartbreaking Decision: "I Had Two Babies But Only One Was Coming Home With Me"

A mother who was pregnant with twins has told of her heartache after she had to refuse life-saving treatment for one of them to save the other.

Nursery owner Dwynwen Davies, 30, was pregnant with twin girls when one of the children in her care picked up slapped cheek syndrome.

Miss Davies did not realise how dangerous the virus is to unborn babies and after picking it up from the child, she passed it on to one of her unborn twins, Martha.

A blood transfusion that could have saved Martha could also have killed Cadi so she had to make the excruciating decision to refuse treatment.

Martha died from the virus and Miss Davies had to deliver her stillborn along with healthy Cadi.

Miss Davies said: ‘At 12 weeks during a routine check with my midwife, I mentioned that a child in my care had slapped cheek syndrome, I knew it could be caught through coughs and sneezes but I had no idea of the real danger it posed.’

She said her midwife was not unduly concerned.

Some 60 per cent of adults are immune to the virus and even if a mother passes it on to a baby, usually there is only a 5 per cent risk of miscarriage.

Miss Davies was given a blood test and it was discovered she was not immune.

However, at that stage nothing could be done as a vaccine would have to have been given before the pregnancy.

The syndrome is caused by the parvovirus B19, which can cause severe anaemia in a baby in the womb.

Miss Davies prayed the virus would not be passed on but at a 17-week scan, it was discovered in one of the twins, Martha.

The virus can make a baby swell up with fluid, which it will eventually choke on.

She said: ‘I was then given two scenarios, either my baby would fight the infection or it would continue to fill up with fluid until the heart stopped.

'To know that there was a child drowning inside of me was horrible.

'I felt helpless in my own body as there was nothing I could do to save her. I just prayed they’d both make it.’

By week 24, Martha was critical. Miss Davies, from Lampeter, Carmarthenshire in south west Wales, said: ‘I was offered a blood transfusion but because I was having twins it was too risky.

‘I couldn’t risk losing Cadi and doctors couldn’t even guarantee that the transfusion would save Martha.

'I opted against it and trusted the doctors’ advice.’

Miss Davies, who has a six-year-old daughter called Delun Mair along with five-month-old Cadi, said: ‘They couldn’t rule out that the virus wouldn’t attack Cadi too, I was a nervous wreck for the next seven weeks.

‘I just prayed that my second baby would survive. Sadly, I was told she had no heart beat at my 28-week scan, I then had to carry both for another seven weeks.

‘I’m extremely lucky I have Cadi but that doesn’t ease the pain of losing a child. I wish I had known the dangers of slapped cheek syndrome while pregnant. 

'I hope by sharing my story other parents will read about the devastating consequences the virus can have.’

Miss Davies has now set up Martha Aur Appeal in her baby’s name to raise awareness of the risks of slapped cheek syndrome.

Around 4,000 babies are stillborn in the UK each year. Stillbirth refers to a foetus which dies in the womb sometime after 24 weeks of pregnancy, but before birth.

There are several causes of stillbirth, including infections during pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, and congenital abnormality.

It is most common to give birth naturally to a stillborn baby unless there are medical reasons for a caesarean and most women have to be induced. Giving birth to a stillborn baby tends to take place withing two to three days of the death of the foetus in the womb.

A devastating event, a mother and partner involved in a stillbirth should always receives psychiatric help before and after labour.

WHAT IS SLAPPED CHEEK SYNDROME?

Slapped cheek syndrome is a viral infection that is most common in children.

It usually affects those aged between six and 10 and is most common in late winter and early spring.

It causes a bright red rash on the cheeks as well as cold-like symptoms.

In most cases, it is mild and clears up without treatment.

The infection can be much more serious in some people - such as those with some blood disorders and pregnant women.

In pregnant women it is only a problem if they are not already immune to it.

In this case, it can cause miscarriage as the virus can cause the baby to develop severe anaemia.

However, the overall risk of a miscarriage after developing the infection is thought to be less than five per cent.

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