Family Stories

Latifah

Twenty-two-year old Latifah is pregnant spontaneously with triplets. Latifah describes how early into the pregnancy she made the decision to keep the babies and raise them on her own as a single mother.

But at just 22 weeks pregnant, Latifah’s cervix begins to open, the initial stages of pre-term labour. Her babies are too small and underdeveloped to survive birth, so she must choose whether to let nature take its course or intervene to try and save the pregnancy.

Latifah decides to undergo a high-risk procedure called a cervical cerclage or cervical stitch, where the cervix is stitched closed in order to try and prevent labour and prolong the pregnancy.

The procedure was successful and Latifah’s triplets were born healthy at 30 weeks.

We caught up with Latifah recently, who said: “The last twelve months have been such a struggle when it comes to figuring out a routine and finding time for myself as well as finding time to play with the girls, but as time goes by it does get easier.

“Za’lahni was recently diagnosed with infantile spasms and it’s had an impact on her development, but it still doesn’t stop her from trying to do things. She will watch Ah’zari and Zeh’rai do things and try and do it as well, even though it’s hard for her and I’m so proud of her for that.

“The triplets have just celebrated their first birthday and I’m proud of all my girls for being such smart, happy babies and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.”



Zoe and Darren

Zoe’s baby has a large cyst growing on its neck, pushing on the airway, which could mean that it won’t be able to breathe for itself once born.

The fetal medicine team plan an operation to insert a breathing tube into the baby’s airway while it is still in the womb, something that has never been performed in the UK before.

However, when the day comes the team are unable to insert the tube into the baby’s airway and instead perform a different procedure called an EXIT.

This is a modified cesarean section where the baby is delivered just up to its chin, keeping it connected to the placenta and therefore its oxygen supply, to allow enough time for a tube to be inserted into its airway, before it is born.

The procedure was successful and baby Harry was born safely at St George’s.

We caught up with Zoe recently, who said: “Harry is now fifteen months old and is continuing to do really well. He has started walking and talking and is a very happy, smiley and adventurous little boy.

“Emelia loves being a big sister and is so proud when Harry achieves something new and she loves to tell everyone. Our life as a family of four keeps us very busy with fun, laughter and new memories every day.”

Jenn

Jenn is sixteen weeks pregnant and is carrying monoamniotic-monochorionic twins; a very rare type of high-risk twin pregnancy where the twins share the same amniotic sac and placenta.

One of the twin’s brains has not formed properly, meaning the baby will either face severe mental and physical disability, or may not survive the duration of the pregnancy and cause a miscarriage.

Jenn and her partner make the difficult decision to end the life of the poorly twin, known as a selective termination, in order to try and improve the chances for their healthy twin.

Unfortunately, three weeks after the procedure, Jenn miscarries the pregnancy and loses the healthy twin, a risk associated with the procedure.