This Mom Gave Birth To A Healthy Baby But When Doctors Saw Her Placenta, They Left It Inside Her
A mother gave birth to a healthy child, but upon examining her placenta, medical professionals decided to take the risk of leaving it inside her. Kirsten, a California resident, was ecstatic to welcome a healthy baby boy. Her joy, though, was short-lived as the medical staff determined that her placenta was not in good health.
For years after being hitched, Kirsten—who has been married to her husband Jeff since October 2010—learned with great excitement that they were expecting their second child. Kirsten’s pregnancy proceeded normally at first, but about 28 weeks in, problems started to emerge as she reached her third trimester.
In an interview with Stanford Healthcare, Kirsten revealed that odd things started to surface on her ultrasound scans. Her uterus, bladder, and placenta were all too close together for the medical professionals to distinguish. This resulted in the diagnosis of placenta percreta, a potentially fatal, severe variant of placenta accreta. The placenta normally attaches itself to the uterine wall throughout pregnancy and is released after delivery. In contrast, placenta percreta allows the placenta to pass through the uterine wall and infect organs that are close by.
The matter gets more complex if the woman has placenta accreta because, with this disorder, the placenta grows out of control and becomes embedded in the uterine wall, necessitating the physical removal of the placenta after birth. This frequently results in severe bleeding. Placenta accreta instances were extremely rare 60 years ago; it only afflicted one out of every 30,000 babies in the US in the 1950s. These days, though, the illness is far more prevalent, happening in roughly one out of every 500 deliveries. The frequency of cesarean sections is one factor contributing to this rise. Accreta can develop when the placenta forms a strong attachment with scar tissue on the uterus of women who have had prior C-sections. Kirsten had already undergone a C-section to give birth to her first son.
The bleeding brought on by accreta may occasionally be lethal. One in 14 American women who have accreta may pass away as a result. For this reason, Kirsten’s diagnosis was very, very concerning. Her condition was so severe that she had to give birth at 33 weeks. Her healthy second son, Leo, was born at Stanford Hospital in July 2014, thanks to the efforts of a team of 30 medical professionals.
The magnitude of the issue wasn’t realized until after the birth. Kirsten was taken into surgery on July 16th, 2014, at 33 weeks pregnant, accompanied by a group of 30 surgeons and nurses. The medical staff found that the placenta invasion was much more severe than anticipated. After delivering Leo, the surgeons had to consider the difficult challenge of removing the placenta without seriously harming Kirsten, because it had grown far larger than they had anticipated. In the end, they decided to take a bold step and leave the placenta inside her.
Kirsten disclosed, “They stopped and closed me up with the entire placenta still inside my body.” The possibility of spontaneous bleeding and the infection risk worried the doctors. There was also the possibility that the placenta would begin to be automatically reabsorbed by the body. The medical staff made the extraordinary decision to forgo the first procedure and leave Kirsten’s placenta in her body. The body might be able to handle the issue on its own, but they were worried about possible infection and spontaneous hemorrhaging. Kirsten said, “I felt like a time bomb waiting to explode.”
Three days into her stay in the ICU, Kirsten still hadn’t met her newborn, which only made things more complicated. The physicians arranged for a nocturnal visit with her infant after she was moved to a new facility, which significantly raised her spirits. Kirsten said, “It gave me something to get better for and to look forward to. In reflection on this gift, my team’s capacity for empathy and broad perspective truly made a difference.”
Regrettably, her health declined. Bruises started popping up all over her body. After six weeks in the hospital, Kirsten was on the verge of catastrophic liver failure according to the scan. “In the midst of my six weeks of anticipation, I suddenly began to notice bruises appearing all over my body. I was on the verge of liver failure according to the blood tests,” she said.
It was determined that an emergency procedure would be carried out by the surgeons. They removed the placenta and other extraneous organs and repaired damage to vital ones in a lengthy 8-hour operation. At this point, 26 blood units were needed to stabilize Kirsten. An important turning point came with the operation, which took place when her infant, Leo, was 7 weeks old. Fortunately, Kirsten’s condition improved after the surgery, even though the situation was critical. Nonetheless, she and her kid benefited much from the specialized care they got at Stanford Healthcare, and she is eternally thankful because they were going to do everything possible.
Kirsten felt certain that she had arrived at the correct spot. “It would never occur to you that Leo was a preemie,” she excitedly revealed. “We’re very confident that my mutant placenta gave him some X-Men powers, and he’s a fierce and determined one-year-old.”
Kirsten is back in her life and is enjoying every second with her loved ones. Her volunteer work at Stanford Hospital is a token of her appreciation. “Being a volunteer at Stanford has taught me the value of compassionate care. The moment I read about it, I knew they truly represent it and accomplish it in a significant way,” she explained. Because her doctors are so skilled, Kirsten will be able to witness her children’s childhoods.
After watching the first story above, do you have any thoughts? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section. Now let’s watch another similar story.
The Deception: Paul and Barbara’s Quintuplets
Paul’s lifelong goal has always been to start a family of his own. He couldn’t wait to settle down with Barbara, his love, and raise a family. It was with great excitement that Paul heard the news that Barbara was expecting quintuplets. But then strange things started happening during her 9 months of pregnancy. Barbara then disclosed something on the birth day that caused Paul to regret ever meeting her.
Paul was a Montreal, Canada resident and artist. There was still a void in his life, even though he was surrounded by supportive loved ones. He was working six days a week and unmarried when he came to the realization that he wanted to find a life partner and start a family in his mid-30s. Paul wanted to make some changes to his lifestyle as he saw so many of his friends and family members getting married and starting families. He felt prepared to settle down with a lifemate. Despite the time commitment, he was healthy and eager to settle down.
After a steady job, he had to get out of his comfort zone to find a spouse, but luckily, he could meet local singles more easily thanks to technology. Because of his busy work schedule, Paul decided to use a dating app. He started chatting with someone after making an account. A woman called Barbara piqued his interest among the profiles he perused, and they started corresponding.
Paul quickly became accustomed to Barbara’s companionship. She had a way of making him laugh, and he fell in love with her personality right away. Had Paul discovered the person he was searching for? It was undoubtedly his hope. Paul and Barbara sensed a particular connection between them, as much as something could build via the internet anyway. They decided to meet in Montreal after exchanging messages online, hoping that Barbara was really who she said she was and that their meeting wasn’t a ruse.
Paul made the decision to go into the meeting with an open mind because there was only one way to find out. Thankfully, Barbara was exactly who she’d claimed to be. Paul believed they had a unique affinity from the moment he saw her in Montreal. The two hit it off right away and went on to date for a few weeks. It was obvious that their internet long-distance affair was turning into something more. Despite their brief acquaintance, Paul trusted Barbara and fell in love. But he quickly discovered there was a rationale for people’s caution when it comes to strangers.
Barbara informed Paul that they needed to have a serious talk after two months of dating. Paul was perplexed because the remark usually indicates difficulty for the other party. He believed that their relationship was going well and was unable to identify the potential problem. Paul didn’t believe there were any major issues between them, even if they were still deciding if they were destined to be together. What would Barbara really want to talk about?
Barbara revealed a shocking secret while grinning broadly: she was expecting a child. Paul was not prepared for the news he received from his new girlfriend. He hesitated for a bit, needing some time to comprehend what she had just revealed to him. He was going to be a father, and they were going to be parents. They were going to become parents to each other. With that, he smiled back at her.
Paul had been thinking about finding a life partner, having children, and beginning a family just a few months prior. His fantasy was now materializing before his very eyes. It was as though he had won the lotto. He wasn’t the only one who was overjoyed. Given how important this period of his life was to Paul, his friends and family were happy for him. They threw a happily-ever-after celebration for the couple and began counting down the days till the baby was born.
Barbara, like many women in their first trimester of pregnancy, found it difficult to adapt to her changing body. She was getting heavier, had mood swings, and was very nauseous in the morning. Paul urged that she move into his home so that his family could assist in taking care of her while he was at work. Out of concern for her and the infant, Barbara agreed, and before long, they were sharing a roof.
The couple began to question the possibility of having more than one child as the months passed and Barbara’s tummy continued to swell. Barbara was discovered to be pregnant with twins during a doctor’s checkup, rather than relying on guesswork. Paul was ecstatic. He thought having one child was wonderful, but having two was fantastic.
Unbeknownst to him, further updates were about to arrive. Barbara got even more shocking news at her next doctor’s visits. She and the baby seemed to be in good health, and it seemed like they were expecting again. Barbara was discovered to be expecting triplets! That was not all, though; quintuplets were actually the number of babies the couple found out they were expecting at her last scan.
The idea of starting a big family thrilled Paul and Barbara to no end. Considering the rarity of quintuplets and the fact that most of their five-child acquaintances had begun their families in their 20s, they felt tremendously lucky. It was as if an entire chapter of Paul and Barbara’s lives had been skipped. But as first-time parents, they were terrified of the expense and the prospect of parenting five children all at once.
Paul, whose job in life was to safeguard and care for his new offspring, took it upon himself to figure out how to sustain his expanded family. Even though he was overjoyed by the news, he knew that obstacles lay ahead. Paul was employed, but his salary was below par and couldn’t sustain six more people. His financial worries intensified as the deadline drew near. While their network of generous friends and relatives was a huge help, getting ready for five babies was no picnic.
Recognizing the great magnitude of the endeavor, Paul sought a friend’s help in rearing quintuplets. They conferred and came up with ideas on how to reach out to others outside of their inner group for assistance. The concept of using social media was attractive to Paul, who was not used to approaching total strangers for assistance. People who wish to lend a hand might be swayed by a compelling narrative like theirs, they realized.
“It dawned on me that social media might be the secret to rallying support,” Paul realized. Together, Paul and his friend came up with a clever idea that began with Paul requesting acquaintances, relatives, and coworkers to tell their story. He set up a Facebook page where he posted updates on Barbara and the quintuplets’ development and asked for private and business donations for necessities like cribs, blankets, bottles, and diapers. He was hoping that when word got out, support would come in.
It became evident over time how willing the community was to assist. Local companies were eager to assist the soon-to-be parents. The couple was ecstatic to be able to concentrate on having a healthy pregnancy without having to worry about money or baby necessities. Whenever gifts arrived, Paul made careful to publish heartfelt thank-you notes and updates on the pregnancy on the Facebook page.
Paul was experiencing his happiest moment ever. He had met the love of his life, and the two of them were going to become parents. His parents tried their utmost to make sure Barbara had a trouble-free pregnancy because they were thrilled to become grandparents. Paul’s mother, who was aware of how difficult it was for Barbara to manage her big tummy, frequently stayed at home to assist with household chores. Barbara was incredibly appreciative of the Paul family’s assistance. She went so far as to say that the soon-to-be father may select each of the five baby names. It would be an understatement to suggest that Paul was thrilled about this. They were looking forward to the day they would finally meet their babies, and the pregnancy was going well.
Unfortunately, Paul’s dreams were dashed the day Barbara went into labor and everything fell apart. Barbara’s water broke at the 34th week of her pregnancy. When the time came, Paul knew what to do by reading up on what to do. So they kept their cool and packed their hospital overnight bag. At the hospital, their loved ones convened, excited to welcome the newest additions to the family. Though it was Paul’s best day ever, things did not go as planned.
Paul walked the waiting area, waiting for the physicians to call to let him know that the quintuplets were doing well and were living with their mother. His fiancée lay calmly in the hospital bed, and he kept telling himself that he would soon be hugging his children. Then the doctor showed up, and Paul knew right at once that something was off. The doctor’s expression was bewildered rather than happy as one might expect. Encircled by Paul’s relatives, they all waited tensely for the doctor’s update, not realizing it would change everything.
A little while later, the physician asked to have a private conversation with Paul. Paul agreed; he was dreading the news. According to the doctor, his bewilderment started the moment Barbara was admitted to the hospital. None of the medical professionals who could have confirmed her pregnancy could be located, and there were no records of her pregnancy either. Paul and his family had consistently driven her to her doctor’s appointments, so this made little sense. The doctor went on to say that a blood test had been requested because of the missing paperwork, and the findings were frightening.
Barbara wasn’t pregnant.
The doctor announced the news with a bang. It was hard for Paul to believe. His partner had relied on him during her pregnancy; after all, there must have been an error of some kind.
“The physicians informed me it was a phantom pregnancy,” Paul revealed in a subsequent interview. Everything he had ever imagined crumbled as his world came crashing down. His earlier preparations were now moot. A woman may believe she is pregnant when, in fact, she is only experiencing the signs of a phantom pregnancy. Severe morning sickness, a swelling tummy, and the onset of lactation all gave Paul cause to believe that his girlfriend was carrying quintuplets.
Paul may not have noticed anything out of the ordinary, but one of his companions did. After giving birth to triplets not long ago, Genevieve thought it strange how active Barbara was throughout her final trimester, even though she wasn’t pregnant. She had a sneaking suspicion that Barbara knew. Other peculiar occurrences started to fit into place when Genevieve told Paul about her suspicions. It seemed like the number of babies increased every time Barbara returned, and Paul had never been to any of her doctor’s appointments.
The possibility that Barbara had orchestrated the whole thing started to emerge as more and more medical professionals agreed with the mounting data. This suspicion was validated. Paul recollected an oddity regarding Barbara’s background as well. She kept mum about her family, and he had been respectful enough not to inquire. But now that word has spread in the local newspaper, Paul got a message from a relative of Barbara. He was told by his relative that Barbara had done this before, but they had never anticipated her to do it again.
Paul had no choice but to issue an apology statement in response to Barbara’s dishonesty. It came to light that she used her false pregnancies as a means to enrich herself financially. Tragically, Paul and his loved ones were devastated. Paul is ready to put this behind him and enjoy a life of peace and quiet.
Finally, Barbara’s loved ones stepped in and persuaded her to check into a mental health clinic. She is now seeking treatment for her behavior, and I pray that she never gets the chance to cheat on another man.
