Helen Melody
Helen Melody developed severe preeclampsia and had an eclamptic fit when she was 34 weeks pregnant. She needed an emergency caesarean and was in a coma for four days. Although her baby was premature, he was born in good health. Helen Melody was living abroad as a student at the time while her husband was in the UK. She wasn’t able to join him for nine months and this, combined with the traumatic circumstances of the birth, took a heavy toll on her emotional well-being. Helen Melody still takes medication to manage her blood pressure. She would like to have another baby.
Helen Melody is a 36-year-old woman who identifies as Black African. She lives in the UK (with Indefinite Leave to Remain) with her husband and their two-year-old son. Helen Melody trained as a teacher, and now works in health and social care.
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Helen Melody was out shopping with friends at 34 weeks pregnant, when she suddenly collapsed. It turned out that she’d had an eclamptic fit. Prior to this she had noticed some swelling in her legs and face and had bouts of dizziness but didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about. Helen Melody was given an emergency caesarean section and spent four days in a coma. When she first woke, she was very confused and it wasn’t until she noticed her stomach was flat that she realised she had given birth. The doctor explained what had happened and that she was lucky to be alive. Helen Melody had never heard of preeclampsia until then.
At first, Helen Melody was too poorly to visit her baby who was in the neonatal unit so the staff showed her a picture of him. However, she was afraid that he had actually died and that they weren’t telling her because they didn’t want to upset her. She was relieved when she was finally able to see him in person. He was in good health despite being born early.
Helen Melody remained in hospital for two weeks resulting in very high medical bills, that her husband (who was in the UK) had to pay. After she was discharged, she returned to the flat she had been renting to wait for permission to enter the UK. She had no family nearby so her husband hired someone to help her with the baby and household chores, but this was an additional expense. It took nine months before Helen Melody was granted permission by the UK Home Office to join her husband. The delay, combined with the difficult circumstances surrounding her son’s birth, the associated financial costs, and adjustment to parenthood, all took a big toll on Helen Melody’s mental health. It was a difficult time, and she found it much easier once she was able to be with her husband.
Helen Melody’s son was initially given formula milk in hospital until her breastmilk had been tested to make sure it didn’t contain traces of the medications she had been given. Once it had been confirmed that her breastmilk was safe, she was encouraged to breastfeed. She found breastfeeding difficult and often phoned female family members for advice. She was able to overcome the initial challenges however, and breastfed for seven months.
Since giving birth, Helen Melody has needed to take medication to manage her blood pressure. She now checks it at home and sends the readings to her GP every few weeks, who adjusts her medication if needed. Helen Melody would like to have another baby and has visited a specialist clinic for women who’ve had preeclampsia where she was given information about the risk of developing the disorder again and how to reduce it. She’s unsure about risks to her cardiovascular health.
Helen Melody leads an active lifestyle and tries to eat healthily, but she finds it difficult to balance a full-time job with caring for a toddler. She recently reduced her working hours so she could spend more time with her son and prioritise her own health. Following her experience, Helen Melody now encourages her pregnant friends to be aware of the signs of high blood pressure and to take them seriously.