Having tragically lost two babies, Suzi and Joe Poulton wondered whether they would ever get the chance to start their own family.
Suzi first found out she was pregnant in January 2018 after spending around a year trying to conceive. The pregnancy appeared to be going well until she began suffering from headaches, vomiting and high blood pressure.
The 35-year-old was admitted to hospital where she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and after labour. Although many cases are mild, the complication can hurt a mother or baby if left untreated.
Suzi, who lives in Macclesfield, was then transferred to St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester for treatment.
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There, she received a further diagnosis of HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets), a rare and potentially life-threatening liver and blood clotting disorder that can affect pregnant women.
Sadly, delivering her baby was the only treatment for her condition, later giving birth to her daughter Katie at 23 weeks. Tragically, the tiny tot was born sleeping.
Six weeks later, the couple were told they could try for a baby again if they wanted to. In June 2020, Suzi fell pregnant once more, this time being monitored by a clinic every fortnight.
But during a routine appointment, the team picked up on signs of pre-eclampsia again and a diagnosis of HELLP syndrome came shortly after.
Around 24 weeks into her pregnancy, Suzi gave birth to her second child William. Sadly, he was also stillborn.
“We were absolutely devastated to lose Katie and William,” Suzi said. “But we took some time to ourselves, so we went to gigs and booked holidays. We wanted to enjoy what we have and not what we don’t have.”
In February 2022, Suzi fell pregnant for the third time. After raising fears she would suffer the same tragic fate again, she went to her clinic for advice.
“Jenny asked me what I would tell a friend if they were going through the same situation,” she added. “I knew instantly that I would want my friends to just go for it – and there was my answer”.
For the third pregnancy, Suzi attended the clinic around three times a week where the team diagnosed her with pre-eclampsia again.
Incredibly, Suzi and the baby managed to remain stable enough to reach 28 weeks before it was necessary to deliver the baby.
Around 12 weeks before her due date, Suzi was admitted for a caesarean section and, against the odds, baby Erin was born on August 5.
Weighing just two pounds and one ounce, Erin was immediately taken to the neo-natal ward where she was put on a ventilator and stabilised – spending a total of 14-weeks in care.
“She was the first to be born alive,” Suzi said. “It was a very surreal moment. Erin came home in November last year and has been thriving ever since.
“She likes to climb up the stairs every night and claps when she gets to the top. That’s her little night-time routine”.
-In total, Suzi had been in and out of the clinic for five years. During this time, she became close with the whole team.
“Erin’s middle name is actually Natalie – after our lead midwife Natalie Barry. She was so happy, she cried when we told her,” she added.”
Suzi is now an advocate for raising awareness about pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. She has even spoken at an event hosted by Action on Pre-Eclampsia, an organisation which aims to improve care surrounding the condition, where she spoke to midwives and doctors and gave her a perspective of a patient.
“In terms of my pregnancies, I think I was just unlucky. This time something worked,” she said. “I don’t know whether it was due to different medication, more monitoring, or whatever the powers that be decided we were due a bit of happiness. I will always be a champion for the MAViS (Manchester Antenatal Vascular Clinic) for all they’ve done”.
Professor Jenny Myers added: “Suzi is an inspiration to all of us and is doing incredible advocacy work for all women and families affected by this devastating pregnancy condition; I’m absolutely delighted that the family are doing so well after such a long journey.
“The MAViS clinic supports hundreds of families every year who have experienced pre-eclampsia and its devastating consequences. We strive to offer holistic, specialist care to all women who develop hypertensive complications of pregnancy. We’d encourage anyone who is experiencing high blood pressure or symptoms of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy to contact their maternity service via the emergency contact numbers.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
