I would be grateful if you could take the time to read my own personal story then please like & share in order to save a baby’s life. My name is Dwynwen Davies and for the last 14 years have been working in childcare. I own a nursery and have close contact with the children in my care. As a professional childcare provider, I am aware of the various illnesses that children can pick up and spread around. I already have a six year old daughter and last year I found out that I was pregnant with what I thought would be my second child, on having the scan, it was revealed that I was in fact expecting twins! To say I was thrilled is an understatement. At 12 weeks during a routine check with my midwife, I mentioned to her that a child in my care had been diagnosed with Slapped Cheek Syndrome. Slapped cheek syndrome (also known as “fifth disease” or erythema infectiosum) is a type of viral infection that is most common in children, although it can affect anyone of any age. Slapped cheek syndrome is caused by a virus called parvovirus B19. Parvovirus B19 is an airborne virus spread in much the same way as the cold or flu viruses. It can be spread through coughs and sneezes that release tiny droplets of contaminated saliva which are then breathed in by another person. There are three high-risk groups in which the parvovirus B19 can cause a much more serious infection and trigger a range of complications. One of the high-risk groups are pregnant women without immunity. Parvovirus B19 infection can increase the risk of a miscarriage because the virus can cause severe anaemia in the unborn child. The overall risk of miscarriage after infection during pregnancy is thought to be less than 5%. She asked if I had been feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms, which I had been for several weeks during my pregnancy, and although she wasn’t overly concerned, she advised me to have a blood test to determine whether I had immunity to the syndrome or not. At 14 weeks the blood test came back showing that I had no immunity to Slapped Cheek Syndrome which meant that the Parvovirus B19 could be passed to my unborn babies. I was told I would have to have weekly scans in my local hospital to detect any fluid around the babies’ stomach which is what happens when an unborn baby develops the Parvovirus B19. At my 17 week scan, sadly fluid was detected in one of the twins. I was transferred to a larger, more specialised hospital where I was given two scenarios – the next 3 weeks would be critical, either the baby would fight the infection or continue to fill up with fluid until eventually the baby’s heart would stop. By 20 weeks, I was given the good news that my baby was showing all the signs of fighting the virus and the fluid was going down. I finally felt at ease, that things were beginning to look up and I even started baby shopping. I continued to have weekly scans and still everything looked as if all was well. Sadly at 24 weeks, on my last appointment with the specialist at the larger hospital, I was given the tragic news that the scan had revealed that the Parvovirus B19 had come back with a vengeance and that one of the babies was now filling up with fluid again. Normally during a single baby pregnancy, at this stage, a blood transfusion would be offered to the mother to try and help the baby fight the virus but because I was expecting twins, this was an option that they advised against because of the high risk to the second baby. This was a waiting game now just waiting for the baby to drown and that they expected the heart to have stopped in the next few days. Scans showed my baby was fighting but the agony continued daily and tragically at 28 weeks I was told that there was no heartbeat. With great difficulty and uncertainty as nobody could say what the outcome would now be on the second twin, I had to carry on with the pregnancy and just hope and pray that my second baby would survive. During this time, I started showing early signs of labour as my body tried to reject my dead baby. Eventually at 35 weeks, I was given a caesarean to deliver my twins. This was a real bag of emotions. What should have been one of the happiest days of my life, was now torn with sadness and joy as I held both my girls in my arms knowing that one of them wasn’t coming home with us. I have started the Martha Aur Appeal in her memory to raise awareness of the dangers of Slapped Cheek Syndrome to pregnant women, as this is where it all starts, as I wouldn’t wish any other parent to go through what I have been through. Slapped Cheek Syndrome is one of the lesser known virus’s and is classed as low risk but as you’ve read from my story, it can actually be one of the most dangerous virus’ for unborn babies and not enough is being done to raise awareness. That is why is need your help. One of the things that a parent can do is, if you know that your child has Slapped Cheek Syndrome, please stop and think of the danger to others if you expose your child knowingly to a pregnant woman, please, please, keep your child at home. Another thing parents can do is to make sure that they inform the nursery/school/etc. and that they then advertise the fact that Slapped Cheek Syndrome is in the nursery/school by putting up posters, sending letters home, etc. My next step in this appeal is to try and get the Local Health Authority and hopefully in the long run, health authorities nationwide, to print leaflets all about the virus and its dangers to pregnant women, I also want midwives when asking routine questions, eg. when asking if you’ve been exposed to measles, chickenpox, etc. to include Slapped Cheek Syndrome in their routine questions, I also want the immunity blood test to be included with all the other routine blood tests which could save a baby’s life. You can help do this as well by sharing my story. The more likes and shares that I get, the more the Local Health Authority might listen. Unfortunately, I cannot change my story, but by telling it to you, it will hopefully change somebody else’s story and save a baby’s life.
