Baby Zoey needs your help
When she went to visit her gynaecologist for her 36-week check-up, she received some disturbing news
The birth of her second child was meant to be magical and complication-free, but for a 35-year-old mother from Florida, this experience turned out to be very traumatic.
Angelene van Vuuren said her pregnancy was normal and without any risks.
“I had the normal pregnancy ailments many other pregnant women have, such as backache and morning sickness, and I felt tired. My fiancé and our almost five-year-old son were very excited to meet the new addition to our family.”
When she went to visit her gynaecologist for her 36-week check-up, she received some disturbing news.
“He said my water was very low and I should return in two weeks for another check-up. When I returned for the second check-up, we found out that our baby was already weighing 3,9kg. The gynaecologist asked me if I still wanted to attempt a natural birth as he was of the opinion that a caesarean section was on the cards.
My reply was that if at all possible, I would prefer to have a natural birth.”
Angelene said her due date was 5 May, and recalled that the baby was not in any hurry to be born, as she waited until the last day.
“My water broke at 3am and we were advised to go to the hospital only as soon as my contractions were five minutes apart. Upon our arrival at the hospital, they said I was already four centimetres dilated.
I was in excruciating pain, and after three hours and the use of a suction machine, the doctor and nurses said that the baby was too big for a normal delivery. The gynaecologist who attended to me in the hospital was not the one I am used to, and after a telephonic consultation, I had to go for an emergency caesarean section,” Angelene recounted.
But, the ordeal was not over yet. The next day, Wednesday, 6 May Angelene was told that baby Zoey had contracted the Group B Streptococcus bacterial infection. She was taken to the Neonatal High Care unit where she was placed on an antibiotics drip.
“I was informed that Zoey had contracted it from me when my water broke. I was so shocked, as I did not know I had this bacterial infection. I also did not know that every woman has to be checked for this infection at 37 weeks gestation.
My gynaecologist just told me that I had to pay for this test myself, but never told me how important it was that I took the test,” Angelene recounted.
She added that she believed this could have been prevented if the caesarean section was done sooner. On top of the whole ordeal, Angelene does not have a medical aid, only medical insurance, which she said did not make any provision for NICU treatment or a caesarean section.
It did, however, cover the cost of a normal birth at a private hospital, but, because the insurance fund would only pay after the birth, the hospital expectrd the parents to pay ufront before being admitted.
“We have already spent R41 000 on this birth, and with the current lockdown we are unable to keep up with the hospital bills as my fiancé, who is an electrician, is not able to work and earn a salary.
We had to borrow money just to pay for the natural birth, but we have to pay that back as well,” she said.
The other costs include R100 000 for the NICU deposit, R10 000 for the gynaecologist and the anaesthetist, as well as another R10 000 for her hospital stay and medicine.
“We tried to get Zoey transferred to a government hospital, but were refused by all hospitals because of the coronavirus,” said Angelene.
In an attempt to help the Van Vuurens with their financial woes, a BackaBuddy page was created where donations can be made.
