A MUM of twins has paid tribute to the Countess of Chester Hospital for saving their lives 10 years ago this week.

It was back in May 2012 when Angela Cottam suffered an amniotic fluid embolism, a rare but life-threatening pregnancy complication, before giving birth to daughters Amielie and Ava five weeks early.

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The Higher Kinnerton mum lost seven pints of blood, needed 22 transfusions and spent hours in a coma after a suspected hair or fingernail from one of the babies passed into her bloodstream.

The cells from the unborn children travelled to her lungs, which began to collapse and she also suffered severe internal bleeding.

But thanks to the efforts of the Countess of Chester Hospital's maternity, midwifery, gynaecology and obstetrics department, the neonatal unit and the ITU department, Angela and her twins were saved.

How we reported Angelas tale of how she and her twin daughters were saved by the Countess of Chester Hospital team 10 years ago.

How we reported Angela's tale of how she and her twin daughters were saved by the Countess of Chester Hospital team 10 years ago.

Angela explained: "On May 3, 2012, I suffered a rare complication during my birth in which I suffered an amniotic fluid embolism in which the amniotic fluid entered my bloodstream causing respiratory collapse.

"My body lost its ability to clot causing a huge blood loss in which I ended up being incubated on life support.

"My twins were well cared for in neonatal but my husband and family were unsure of the outcome as the condition was very rare, unforeseen and occurs in one in 80,000 women.

"Luckily I pulled through and that’s to the swift and remarkable work of the midwives, nurses doctors and consultants who treated me that night.

"It just shows how the services of our NHS, in particular the Countess of Chester Hospital were truly remarkable and I owe my life to them."

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Angela, who is now an advisory teacher for Flying Start, added the twins celebrated a normal 10th birthday this week by going out bowling and enjoying a meal.

Angela Cottam with twins Amelie and Ava.

Angela Cottam with twins Amelie and Ava.

She added: "We marked the 10 years like any regular birthday celebration, but like every year I see it as an extra special anniversary because it marks an anniversary as a second chance at life.

"I always think of what the staff in that hospital did for me; the cleaners, midwives, registrars, consultants and ITU nurses and the amazing equipment and medicine they had to keep me alive.

"We would have liked to visited the hospital to meet the staff to show our gratitude 10 years on, but I was reluctant to due to given the Covid situation and didn’t want to pressure staff when they’re super busy."

Angela, who has another daughter, Olivia, and husband Peter, is a supporter of the Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation. The group has a website where people can seek more information at https://afesupport.org/ and there is an Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) Support UK Facebook group, where people can seek support.

Angela was featured in the Standard as part of the Countess of Chester's multi-million-pound Babygrow Appeal, for the purchase of a new neonatal unit.