New born baby and mother overcome life-and-death situation at Tabubil Hospital

Thursday, 1 August 2024, 10:58 am

Senior medical officer Dr. Grace Raire (3rd Left), Leah Binengim with her Baby (4th Left), Leah’s mother Margaret Binengim along with the three midwives in the maternity ward at Tabubil Hospital (Supplied)

A team of doctors and clinicians saved a 33-year-old mother and her baby through a safe caesarean section (c/section) delivery at Tabubil Private Hospital in North Fly District, Western Province.

Leah Binengim, from Drolemgan, Telefomin district in West Sepik was referred to Tabubil Private Hospital from Kiunga District Hospital with a high-risk condition of preeclampsia, high blood pressure in pregnancy at 35 weeks gestational age on the 5th of July.

Tabubil hospital female obstetrician and gynaecologist senior medical officer, Dr. Grace Raire, explained Leah’s situation as a high risk condition of Preeclampsia which she then developed a HELLP syndrome, a rare pregnancy complication that mainly affects the blood and liver.

Leah’s blood results on the 6th of July had shown that Leah’s platelet level was very low and that she needed fresh blood, so three of the hospital staff and a few of Ok Tedi Mining LTD employees and her relatives came forward and donated blood to help transfuse blood into her body to increase her platelets level before the doctor decided on the mode of delivery.

Through the team’s effort, she was then transfused with 6 units of fresh blood, two days before delivery, but despite the transfusion, her platelets was still dropping and went down to 19000, which was still very low [lower than the normal range of 170000 – 550000].

On the 17th of July, she was experiencing labour pains, so Dr. Raire reviewed her and made a decision to carry out an emergency c/section rather than having a normal delivery.

“Due to her high risk situation, we made a decision to do c/section in that way to see where the blood is coming out from so they can control it,” Dr. Raire further clarified.

Dr. Raire with the anaesthetic SMO, Dr. Sohana Totori, the senior medical surgeon and director medical services Dr. Lawrence Pulai, paediatrician Dr. Venao Seta and the maternity team along with the operating theatre team were all present as Dr. Raire carried out the operation, successfully delivering the baby.

The baby girl was then admitted to the nursery with meconium aspirate syndromes and low birth weight of 1.5kg after delivery.

According to Leah, it is her second pregnancy with the same condition of high blood pressure, however, compared to her first pregnancy, despite having high blood pressure, she had a normal delivery back in 2018 to her firstborn son.

“I am grateful and thankful to all the nurses, midwives, doctors and all other staff, not forgetting my family members, especially my two brothers, who had supported me all throughout my pregnancy and made it possible for my Baby and me to live,” Leah expressed her gratitude.

Dr. Raire pointed out that it was a very interesting case she had come across so far and she hasn't seen a lady with the same condition survived.

Both mother and the baby recovered well during the two [2] weeks following the operation and were discharged on 25th July 2024.