'Miracle' Leighton Buzzard baby has life-saving blood transfusion in womb

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A Leighton Buzzard couple are raising funds for an "exceptional" hospital team who gave their unborn baby two lifesaving blood transfusions.

Charlotte Smith, 31, and Taylor Murphy, 28 welcomed their "miracle" girl Violet into the world on November 5 after she had spent months fighting to survive in the womb.

When unborn Violet was just 20 weeks, a scan showed that she had Hydrops Fetalis – an accumulation of fluid in and around her tiny body. This flagged that she had a deadly virus, passed on because Charlotte had caught slapped cheek syndrome.

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Charlotte said: "It's unbelievable what the doctors and nurses can do. I had never heard of fetal medicine before, but there's a whole midwifery department. The University College London Hospital [UCLH] are absolutely amazing, absolutely amazing, and when Violet was born I was euphoric.

Clockwise from top left: Charlotte and baby Violet; baby Violet arrives into the world; Charlotte at the Fetal Medicine Unit; a beautiful smile for the camera. Images supplied by Charlotte Smith.Clockwise from top left: Charlotte and baby Violet; baby Violet arrives into the world; Charlotte at the Fetal Medicine Unit; a beautiful smile for the camera. Images supplied by Charlotte Smith.
Clockwise from top left: Charlotte and baby Violet; baby Violet arrives into the world; Charlotte at the Fetal Medicine Unit; a beautiful smile for the camera. Images supplied by Charlotte Smith.

"It still doesn't feel real that's she's here. She's defied all the odds."

Back in June, when the couple went for Charlotte's 20 week scan at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital (L&D), they were left "feeling numb" when the sonographer spotted that something was wrong

With the hospital unable to give an exact answer, the couple were sent home and asked to return in a couple of days.

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Charlotte said: "Honestly, as soon as the nurse started scanning I knew something was wrong within the first 30 seconds just by her face. It was soul destroying."

Charlotte, Taylor and baby bump, and right, baby Violet. Images supplied by Charlotte Smith.Charlotte, Taylor and baby bump, and right, baby Violet. Images supplied by Charlotte Smith.
Charlotte, Taylor and baby bump, and right, baby Violet. Images supplied by Charlotte Smith.

The L&D later confirmed it was Hydrops Fetalis – and the couple were referred to the UCLH.

Working quickly, the UCLH discovered that unborn Violet had caught a virus – but worryingly, that her blood velocity was too fast and that she was anaemic; her blood was yellow and without red cells to fight the infection.

A transfusion was needed for Violet to survive.

Charlotte said: "The first one was like mini surgery. They put a big needle into my tummy and into the sac [that supports the baby] with a camera to see what they were doing.

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"They administered the blood straight into her tummy cavity and hoped she would absorb it.

"But when we went back for a scan there was no change.

"They really tried to get it into her vein the second time – which took a long time and was quite uncomfortable - but I was more worried about Violet and if they would tell me half way through that she hadn't made it."

The transfusions had come with the risk that Violet may not survive – although the couple had "no choice" for she would have died without the procedure.

The first transfusion (although unsuccessful) had been thanks to 13ml of donor blood, while the second used 24ml.

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Miraculously, Violet's second transfusion worked, and slowly but surely the tiny warrior fought off the virus, whilst the fluid began to disappear.

She is now a "smiley, happy little thing" back home in Leighton Buzzard, with her parents and older brother and sister (aged 12 and nine).

The family is hoping to raise £500 for the "amazing" UCLH via GoFundMe – and Charlotte plans to grow her hair for a fundraising 'chop' next year.

They would also like to say a huge thank you to the UCLH and L&D, and family, friends and employers for their support.

Click here to donate via GoFundMe.

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