Stratford mum suffers huge blood loss in birth drama - mother and son now doing well

Natasha Pollock needed 39 units of blood products to save her life during surgery at Worcester Royal Hopsital on Christmas Day.

The operation followed a complicated emergency c-section to deliver her son, Oliver, after she suffered a heavy bleed at 32 weeks' pregnant due to a rare placental condition.

At one stage, doctors were forced to used a Cell Saver blood machine to collect the blood she was losing and recycle that back into her too, meaning the total loss was even higher.

Doctors later told her this was a new hospital record for the most blood and blood components transfused in just one operation.

After almost six hours in theatre, Natasha's husband David was informed of the situation. He said he understood survival was not looking good and got his first glimpse of his new baby.

Oliver remains in hospital since the c-section, but is said to be doing well.

Previously, Natasha has needed blood transfusions during four births. She also lost two litres of blood during the birth of Eddie, now aged five, one and a half litres during the birth of Bethany, now three and one and a half litres during the birth of Daniel, who was sadly stillborn at term in July 2014.

Full story in next week’s Stratford Herald.