Charlotte blossoms from preterm birth beginnings for her bright future

Jessica Hatton was understandably fearful when she had to unexpectedly deliver her daughter Charlotte in July of 2021 at just 28 weeks.

After a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy, the Mandurah local had noticed reduced movements in the days prior to her emergency delivery. Monitoring showed a heartbeat, yet Jess still couldn’t feel her usual movements.

A myriad of tests and checks indicated potential preeclampsia – a serious condition of pregnancy, usually characterised by high blood pressure and severe swelling. See the key strategies to prevent preterm birth here.

“I had been to the obstetrician five days prior and nothing had been flagged. I had no symptoms of preeclampsia at all,” she said.

“Luckily, I was familiar with the symptoms of preeclampsia as one of my best friends had it three times, resulting in her babies being born early so had been mindful of any similar symptoms.”

Bloods, another urine sample and ultrasound determined she had preeclampsia despite the lack of noticeable symptoms The scan showed disrupted flow to the placenta.

“King Edward Memorial Hospital was phoned, and they wanted me to come in immediately by ambulance.

“At that point, I wasn’t thinking about preterm birth and was still a bit in denial – thinking we would get checked and make it to the birth class we had booked for the next day!”

Continued monitoring, a dose of steroids, and another ultrasound all happened in quick succession. Doctors reported Jess would have to stay in hospital on strict bedrest and would likely give birth within a few weeks.

45 minutes later things would drastically change.

Jessica’s doctor asked her to call her husband as the baby was likely going to have to be delivered sooner rather than later as she was starting show signs of declining.

“10 minutes after making the call to Troy, the doctor returned and told me that the baby was in distress, and they would have to deliver via emergency caesarean section asap,” she recalls.

“Despite the extreme stress of the situation, I felt I was really safe hands with the doctors and nurses at King Eddies. Their professionalism and clear information they were giving me was helping me stay as calm as possible. Although I was preparing myself mentally for the possibility that Troy wouldn’t make it in time for the birth given the distance he had to travel.”

Jess was rushed to theatre and was able to remain awake for the surgery. Thankfully Troy arrived with minutes to spare before delivery.

In the blink of an eye Charlotte was born weighing just 1005g and measuring 37.5cm.

Joy and immense relief were palpable for Jess and Troy especially on speaking with their doctor after the birth.

“She told us that if we did not seek medical attention when we did, the outcome may have been different as the placenta showed it likely had been impacted for several weeks.”

Despite her early birth, Charlotte showed all positive signs medically, and was put on CPAP for 1 week, before moving to high flow. At 32 weeks, she would be strong enough to breath on her own.

“She was given a diagnosis of Stage One Retinopathy of Prematurity which, as of our last scan/check, had cleared completely,” she said.

Reflecting on their journey and challenges faced, Jess understands all too well the emotional rollercoaster for preemie families.

“Being in the NICU is an experience you cannot comprehend until you live it – leaving the hospital without your baby is unnatural. It’s a horrible feeling and NICU families do it daily,” she said.

“Beyond the overall NICU experience being so tough and emotional, the hardest thing was that we lived an hour away but were still classed as ‘metro’ so had to drive up and back each day. I couldn’t drive so we were very thankful that my husband was able to have a significant time off work.”

After a lengthy 51-day NICU stay across both King Edward Memorial Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospitals, Charlotte would be allowed to go home.

Now a very cheeky and determined 3-year-old, Charlotte has been discharged from the KEMH follow-up program and is kicking her development goals with gusto.

“We feel very grateful to have had such good outcomes, and while there have definitely been challenges and hard times along the way, we have our beautiful girl home healthy with us. That is the best outcome we could have ever asked for.

“I have been really passionate about raising awareness of preterm birth. If our story can help other families notice signs and symptoms and get checked early, I hope it means that it can help them have better outcomes.”

Jessica’s story is more than a personal story of resilience but a testament to the impactful work of the Every Week Counts National Preterm Birth Prevention Collaborative. Through the collaborative efforts of hospitals like King Edward Memorial Hospital, Australia is pioneering a national program to reduce preterm birth rates, offering hope to the 26,000 families who face this challenge every year. Jessica and Charlott’s story stands as a powerful reminder of the importance of awareness, support, and ongoing commitment to preventing preterm births.