Laura-Beth Thompson was 36 weeks pregnant and in hospital after being admitted for dehydration when she was told that she was probably suffering from pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal condition, and that the baby needed to be delivered immediately.
What followed at Burnley General Teaching Hospital in Lancashire in January 2022 was a cascade of complications, including a failed induction, a patchy epidural that spread too high up her spine, an incision intended to minimise tearing and finally an instrumental delivery.
The new mother lost 4 litres of blood and suffered a severe third-degree tear — something she said she was not told about until six weeks later, when she saw a private gynaecologist after weeks of being unable to empty her bowels and struggling with bladder control.