A joyous occasion turned into a life-threatening emergency for new mother Ellie Marples, who nearly lost her life to sepsis shortly after giving birth to her son, Albie Marples, at Jessop Hospital in South Yorkshire. The ordeal began when Ellie, 32, experienced severe complications while breastfeeding her baby for the first time.
Immediately after undergoing a cesarean section, Ellie began feeling unwell in the recovery room. She described a rapid decline in her condition, stating that she felt “dizzy and sick.” Within moments, her situation escalated to a critical level; she started vomiting blood and lost consciousness. She was quickly taken back into surgery, where doctors placed her in an induced coma for 21 days.
During her time in hospital, scans revealed that Ellie was suffering from multi-organ failure and sepsis due to an amniotic fluid embolism. This rare complication occurs when amniotic fluid enters the mother’s bloodstream and is recognized as the fifth leading cause of direct maternal death.
Ellie was transferred to The Royal Hallamshire Hospital for further treatment, where she was placed on life support. The severity of her condition necessitated the removal of 80% of her colon and the fitting of a stoma bag. Following these procedures, doctors discovered that her womb and cervix were also septic, leading to a life-saving hysterectomy on October 17, 2024.
Reflecting on her harrowing experience, Ellie noted, “It should have been one of the happiest days of my life but it turned into a nightmare.” She recounted the long hours of labor she endured before her cesarean delivery. “You don’t know whether it’s because you’ve given birth or because you’ve just had a major operation,” she said, recalling the moments before her health deteriorated.
Once stabilized, Ellie expressed gratitude for the medical team, acknowledging that the quick actions of the staff were crucial to her survival. “Everyone was in the right place at the right time for me that night,” she remarked. “If any one person had been five minutes somewhere else, it would have been a completely different story for me.”
After her return to Jessop Hospital for rehabilitation, Ellie was finally able to go home on November 12, 2024. Although she has physically recovered, she continues to grapple with the mental aftermath of her ordeal. For the first few months, she was frequently hospitalized, but she is now focusing on her mental health and adjusting to life as a new mother.
Ellie expressed her initial fears about bonding with Albie, as she was unable to hold him for over a month due to her medical condition. Fortunately, she was able to connect with her son, stating, “I was nervous because I didn’t want to not bond with him, but fortunately I was lucky and I picked up as if I’d been there from day one.”
Despite the challenges she faced, Ellie remains optimistic and thankful for her life and her family. She continues to heal and hopes to share her story to raise awareness about the risks associated with childbirth and the importance of prompt medical intervention.
