"to lose my child and almost lose my life after all the discomfort that came with my pregnancy is very scary and painful"

A mother's experience of Oxford University Hospitals Maternity Services in 2020 and 2023:

I lost my first baby in 2020 after going into pre-term labor at 23 weeks. I went to the JR hospital immediately I noticed a bit of bleeding but I was sent back home after a speculum was used to check my cervix. I expected to be put on bed rest and monitored but I was told to go home only for the bleeding to continue increasing and by the time I called the hospital back at midnight, I was told they could not send me an ambulance and that I should find my way back to the hospital myself despite the fact that I told the nurse I was alone due to covid restrictions.

By the time I got back there it was too late, I had dilated and they said they would have to bring out my baby even though she was 23 weeks. My baby was born on the 19th of July, 2020 and was taken to the NICU, where she was kept for 2 weeks, she had to undergo more than one surgery and she eventually passed away on the 1st of August after doctors made it clear that she would not make it and they needed to take her off the machines she was connected to.

I have been deeply affected by her death and I miss her everyday, she would have been 5 years old today.

In 2023, I had my second daughter at the JR hospital but I had a first degree tear and lost 1.7 litres of blood. I thought I was going to die and I almost went into shock as there was a lot of blood being mopped by the nurses. I was finally rushed to the theatre to be stitched.

I strongly believe I am alive by God's miracle....

These experiences have really left me traumatized especially because I suffer from severe hyperemesis gravidarium in pregnancy and to lose my child and almost lose my life after all the discomfort that came with my pregnancy is very scary and painful.

I am really scared even thinking of getting pregnant again as I do want to have more children.