If it wasn't for blood donors I would be dead now

Published on Monday 9 June 2008 10:35

WHEN teenager Ashley McCormack was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to give birth she did not for a second think that she would end up fighting for her life.

After a trouble-free pregnancy she spent two days in labour before doctors decided she should have a Caesarian.

However, once her daughter Imogen was born she started to haemorrhage and she needed five pints of blood while doctors fought to stop the bleeding.

Now 22, and the proud mother of a three-year-old girl, she is fronting a Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service campaign in an effort to attract more donors.

The Haddington nanny said: "The pregnancy was fine, I went into hospital and everything seemed fine, everything checked out. Then I was in labour for two days. My mum was a nurse and she was worried, wondering why it was taking so long – I wasn't dilating.

"I felt terrible, really concerned. They had this heart monitor checking the baby's heart and it kept going off and on, off and on. Finally the doctor said I would have to have a Caesarian section. I had been on epidurals throughout the day but by this time they were starting to wear off. I felt everything.

"When I told them I could feel it they said they had to get the baby out. I'm not sure where I haemorrhaged from because at that point I passed out. When I woke up I had tubes in my arm."

Ms McCormack does not believe there was any link between the epidural and the haemorrhaging. She added: "If it wasn't for blood donors I wouldn't be here today and Imogen wouldn't have her mum.

"I can't stress enough how grateful I am to the blood donors who saved our lives – and I'd like every single person in Scotland to come forward and give blood now."

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is trying to attract new donors as current levels are the lowest they have been for decades.

It has been unable to reverse a steady decline in the number of donors for the last five years and predicts that, on present trends, a crisis point could be reached in two years.

Dr Ian Laing, Consultant Neonatologist NHS Lothian, said it was "absolutely essential" for people to come forward as donors. Blood is absolutely essential in the care of a number of our patients, such as pregnant mothers in labour and newborn babies, in particular premature babies.

"When premature babies come into our neonatal unit, they are often very small with very small bloodstreams. During their stay in the unit, babies will multiply in weight, but premature babies have a very poor capability of making blood in their early weeks. Blood transfusions can provide these babies with the extra blood they need to survive.

"I would encourage people to give blood if they can, because it could save a life."