This year, National Pregnancy Week is highlighting the problems of what can go wrong in childbirth. York mum Louise Ibbotson tells MAXINE GORDON about how she nearly lost her first baby because of an unusual medical condition.

LITTLE Ellie Ibbotson is just beginning to talk. "Dolly," she says, as she plonks her favourite toy into a tiny pushchair. At 20 months, Ellie looks as healthy as any other child her age.

But it could all have been so very different.

At 36 weeks pregnant, mum Louise suddenly began to lose blood. Husband Jerry took her to hospital and within minutes she was being rushed to theatre for an emergency caesarean.

Louise was seized by blind panic as doctors attached monitors to her tummy, inserted a catheter and prepared her for an anaesthetic.

"I thought: 'this is it'. I didn't think I was going to wake up. I didn't think Ellie was going to survive. It was the scariest time," recalls Louise, 24.

Outside the theatre, doctors were telling Jerry it was unlikely the baby would make it.

Yet minutes later, Ellie was born, fit and healthy at 5lbs14ozs.

It was Louise who needed medical attention. She had suffered an abrupted placenta, where the placenta had torn away from the side of the womb.

This is a condition which tends to affect older mothers, women who smoke or take drugs.

"I was only 23, never smoked, never did drugs," says Louise, who found it difficult to understand why it had happened to her.

Following the birth, more complications followed. She had pre-eclampsia - a condition more common during pregnancy itself, where women suffer high blood pressure and fluid retention.

Louise had to take medication to combat the problem. "They gave me magnesium sulphate which makes you feel like your blood is boiling. It really knocks you out. I felt like a zombie."

Doctors thought she wasn't bonding with the baby and called in a psychologist, however Louise says the problem arose simply because she was so ill.

When she eventually went home with Ellie eight days later she felt she'd lost something priceless: the first week of being a mum with her new baby.

Louise tried to breastfeed, but had to give up after Ellie didn't seem to be putting on enough weight.

It was another blow.

"I felt my body had failed me again. I'd nearly lost Ellie and now this," she recalls.

At the time of the birth, Jerry and Louise - who is from York - were living in London, working for BBC Radio.

Desperate for a larger family house and to be closer to Louise's family for support they moved to Nether Poppleton.

It was only then that Louise was diagnosed with Post Natal Depression, which doctors believe was triggered by the trauma of Ellie's birth.

Louise wanted to share her story with Evening Press readers to mark National Pregnancy Week. This year, the event is highlighting the work of Tommy's Campaign, the charity which funds research and information to prevent miscarriage, stillbirth and premature babies.

One in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage and one in 188 babies is stillborn.

Louise realises she is lucky. Ellie survived, but Louise still wants to see more research carried out into complications like the one she suffered.

She still has questions unanswered, most importantly: would the same thing happen again with another pregnancy?

"I thought I was going to have a natural birth, that I'd leave hospital six hours later with her and everything would be sunshine and smiles.

"I don't want people to be scared, but they should be aware of problems which can occur.

"If I do consider another pregnancy, I'll be going into it with my eyes wide open. I'll be more aware of what can go wrong and that having your blood pressure checked and your urine samples tested at ante-natal checkups aren't just for the sake of it: they are done for a very good reason."

u Louise found these organisations a useful source of information on pre-eclampsia:

APEC (Action on pre-eclampsia) helpline 020 842 74217.

Independent website with lots of information, women's stories and support group details: www.pre-eclampsia.co.uk

Tommy's Campaign: 020 7620 0188 www.tommys-campaign.org

SANDS (Still births and neo-natal death society) 020 7436 5881

u Look out for a new booklet on healthy pregnancy which has been produced by Tommy's Campaign. The free 12-page booklet will be available through GP surgeries.

u During National Pregnancy Week Sainsbury's and the charity WellBeing are running an 'Eating for Pregnancy' helpline manned by diet and nutrition experts. It is open until Friday, from 8am-8pm on 0114 242 4084.

PICTURE: Louise Ibbotson with daughter Ellie, now 20-months old

Picture: David Harrison