Chloe Jacobs in hospital with Pixi (Image: Chris Smallwood/SWNS)
A mother narrowly escaped death during childbirth after losing more than eight litres of blood when her placenta separated from her womb. Chloe Jacobs, 39, was 34 weeks pregnant when she awoke at 1.30am feeling dizzy and perspiring.
She drifted back to sleep, but 90 minutes later woke to discover herself haemorrhaging heavily. Terrified for her baby’s life, she remained on the toilet while her fiancé, Chris Smallwood, 40, summoned an ambulance.
Chloe was rushed to St Mary’s hospital, Isle of Wight, where their daughter, Pixi, was delivered by Caesarean section at 4.51am, weighing 4lbs 12oz. However, medics couldn’t stem the bleeding, which was caused by a placental abruption – where her placenta had partially separated from her womb.
Merely 20 minutes after Pixi’s birth, medics informed Chris they needed to place Chloe into an induced coma so they could control the haemorrhaging, following the birth on Sunday, March 1. After nine blood transfusions, mother and baby are home and healthy.
Chloe, a teaching assistant from Newport, Isle of Wight, said: « I’m so lucky and so grateful to be alive. I honestly can never thank the medical team enough.
« I still haven’t processed everything that happened. Pixi or I, or both of us, could so easily have died. It’s very scary to think about.
Chloe Jacobs and her fiancé Chris Smallwood (Image: Chris Smallwood/SWNS)
« I was petrified. I sat on the loo and the blood just poured out of me, like a tap.
« It just wouldn’t stop, all through Pixi’s birth it was just pouring and pouring. The ambulance crew and everyone at the hospital were lovely – so calm and amazing! »
Chloe and Chris, who have been together since 2023, discovered they were expecting Pixi in July, with a due date of April 8. When Chloe began bleeding, the ambulance from the Isle of Wight and Hampshire ambulance service arrived in under five minutes, Chris said. At the hospital, medics examined Chloe and confirmed the baby was fine, but needed to be delivered within 30 minutes.
« I could see in their faces that this was bad, they were really worried, » said Chloe, who first shared her story via Sell Us Your Story.
Chris, a stock manager, reached the hospital in time to witness Pixi’s birth. Pixi was transferred to the special care baby unit, where her breathing was supported for five hours, while Chloe was placed under general anaesthetic.
Chloe Jacobs in hospital (Image: Chris Smallwood/SWNS)
Chris said: « They just couldn’t stop the bleeding. At first I thought they were putting her under to finish off stitching, but as time went on I became more and more worried.
« I was just waiting and I could hear people running past the door. It was scary.
« I think there were about 20 people in the room with her. Every 20 minutes someone came to tell me they were still working on her.
« I could see how panicked they were, they kept saying it was ‘very serious’. I got more and more scared and at about 7am a nurse said they still hadn’t stopped the bleeding. »
Chloe received nine litres of blood and lost eight — at one point Chris was urged to contact Chloe’s mother. « I just broke down, » he said. Chris visited Pixi and at 8am he was informed that Chloe was out of danger.
Doctors had halted the bleeding and she was anticipated to wake in 24 hours, but she actually regained consciousness after just three-and-a-half hours. Chris was told Chloe had suffered placenta abruption, where the placenta partially or completely separates from the wall of the womb.
Chris said: « I was so relieved. They said Chloe was very lucky to be alive and that after what happened to her they’d expect she’d be dead or at best in a coma.
« We’re so incredibly grateful and lucky to have the NHS. If this happened in many countries Chloe and Pixi could easily not have survived and in other countries we’d be in millions of pounds worth of debt. I was just talking softly in her ear about Pixi and her eyes started twitching, it was a very, very, special moment. »
Chloe received 17 litres in transfusions altogether – nine of blood, plus platelets and plasma. She was discharged from hospital on March 10 and Pixi followed on March 20 when medics were satisfied that her breathing was stable.
Chris said: « It’s amazing that she’s here and so well – no problems with organs or anything. She’s so strong and so lucky. I do feel pretty good, a little bit superhero, but mostly very, very, lucky and grateful. »
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