All Laura Woresley wanted was a baby. That path to motherhood was one riddled with pain and loss, but after 10 years and 13 miscarriages, Laura has welcomed a healthy baby girl into the world.
With her 14th pregnancy underway, Laura was anxious about growing too excited for the little life growing inside her, with worries it might be taken away. However, thanks to the staff of the Biomedical Research Unit at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Laura and her husband Dave learned why Laura was having such a difficult time keeping a pregnancy.
Laura was finally diagnosed with an almost perfect storm of conditions: Antiphospholipid syndrome, also known as “sticky blood syndrome,” and Chronic Histiocytic Intervillositis.
While “sticky blood syndrome” can cause miscarriages, the latter involves the mother’s body attacking the placenta. The doctors were able to devise a plan, which used a combination of uterus strengthening medication and immune system suppressing steroids, to get Laura’s 14th pregnancy to the 24-week gestation period, when the baby would have a good chance of surviving.
Although the doctors had not planned for Laura’s pregnancy to continue past 24 weeks, Laura and her baby proved stronger than they seemed because Laura’s water did not break until week 30, and on September 12, 2018, Baby Ivy was born weighing only 1 pound and 7 ounces.
Today, Ivy is a perfectly healthy, smiley, and giggly baby. Laura and Dave are overjoyed and refer to Ivy as their “miracle baby.” They decided to make their story known to encourage parents that “miracles can happen,” and to not lose hope for the future.
College student, Catholic, journalist, and writer. Jeremiah 1:15. Passionate about all life, from conception to natural death, no matter what.
