When 34-year-old Ashleigh fell pregnant towards the end of 2025, she could never have imagined the complications that lay ahead.
At 20 weeks, Ashleigh was told she had a low-lying placenta, meaning it was sitting lower than usual in the womb. This can increase the risk of bleeding as the pregnancy progresses and can sometimes cause problems during birth.
Nine weeks later, while on a girls’ weekend in Harrogate, Ashleigh started to bleed.
She said: “It was the most frightening experience our family has ever been through. I left Harrogate straight away and went to Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI) to be seen.”
Over the following 10 days, Ashleigh was in and out of hospital before being diagnosed with vasa praevia and placenta praevia – two serious pregnancy complications she had never heard of before.
She was told that further bleeding could pose a significant risk to her baby’s life.
“Being told your baby might not survive is something no parent should ever have to hear. Just thinking about it gives me chills.”
Ashleigh was cared for by maternity teams over the following five weeks, including three weeks as an inpatient at Bassetlaw Hospital, where she remained under close observation.
She later gave birth to baby Archie by planned caesarean section, delivered by surgeon Ambreen Chaudhry. During the birth, Archie’s heart rate dropped and there was concern that Ashleigh was at risk of significant bleeding, requiring the team to act quickly to keep mum and baby safe.
Thankfully, both pulled through and, five months on, Archie is a healthy and happy baby.
Reflecting on her experience, Ashleigh said: “My partner and I are so grateful to the teams at both DRI and Bassetlaw. Their professionalism, quick thinking, compassion and expertise quite literally saved our son’s life.
“Had they not recognised my symptoms so quickly and acted when they did, our story could have had a very different ending – one that no family should ever have to experience.
“A special thank you to Megan, who triaged me and travelled with me in the ambulance; Rebecca Gregory; Lauren, my midwife; Danielle Simpson, my community midwife; Ambreen Chaudhry, the surgeon who delivered Archie; and every single member of staff who cared for me throughout those weeks.
“Because of you, we get to watch Archie grow every single day. We will never be able to thank you enough for giving our family that precious gift.”
Lois Mellor, Director of Midwifery at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “I am incredibly proud of the colleagues across our maternity services who cared for Ashleigh throughout what was understandably an extremely frightening and uncertain time for her and her family.
“Their vigilance, expertise and compassion meant that both Ashleigh and Archie were supported every step of the way.
“It is wonderful to hear that Archie is now five months old, healthy and happy, and I know everyone involved in their care will be delighted to see how well they are both doing.”
Ashleigh’s experience highlights the importance of seeking advice if something does not feel right during pregnancy. If you have concerns about you or your baby, please speak to your midwife or maternity team.