How a mum-to-be's car crash was a 'blessing' that saved her baby's life

When pregnant Chloe Grant had a car crash, she had no idea it may have saved her - and her baby's - life.

Checking her over after the shunt, doctors found the 20-year-old had a potentially deadly condition.

Thankfully it was caught in time.

Now Chloe and partner Jack Farrell are celebrating the birth of their "princess" Amelia Rose.

Born three months premature, she weighed just 1lb 9oz - less than a pineapple.

But she's growing in strength, and proud dad Jack beamed: "She's our little miracle.

"The crash was a blessing in disguise."

Amazingly, he claims the Team Valley smash which led to the diagnosis was so minor she wouldn't have got checked had she not been pregant.

"The car literally had just a few scratches," admitted 21-year-old Jack.

"She decided to go on the off chance being pregnant, even if it was just for shock."

Tests at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital though showed she had protein in her urine while her blood pressure was "sky high".

Doctors diagnosed pre-eclampsia.

The condition affects around 6% of pregnancies and is usually diagnosed after 20 weeks.

In Chloe's case, she was 24 weeks pregnant.

"They rushed her straight over to the RVI, as the condition means she could have the baby at any time," claimed Jack, an apprentice  electrician.

While most cases are mild and cause no complications, if untreated, it can progress into eclampsia - which affects around one in a hundred pregnant women.

That can cause fits, convulsions and - in extreme cases - death.

And Jack admits: "If she hadn't had the car crash, she wouldn't have known about it.

"We just had no idea about this at all."

The Gateshead couple then faced a nervous fortnight until Chloe - now 26 weeks pregnant - was rushed in for an emergency c-section.

Thankfully, it went without a hitch - and the pair welcomed their first child into the world.

Both Chloe and Amelia Rose are still in hospital. While the tot has needed some tubes, staff are now removing the lining as she builds up strength,

"They are both doing brilliantly," said Jack proudly.

"I've been having to finish work and go over to spend as much time as possible with them, and the staff are amazing - I can't fault them.

"We are seeing Amelia all of the time now, and I spent most of yesterday with her.

"But this was all just really unexpected. But we are over the moon and ecstatic - both of us."

Source: chroniclelive.co.uk

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter