Health

Unborn Child Starved From Mom’s Extreme Weight Loss Surgery

Holly Emms, 25, didn’t realize her body was starving her unborn daughter until it was too late.

Emms underwent gastric bypass surgery without realizing she was in the early stages of pregnancy. At this time, according to the Daily Mail, she weighed 18 stone (252 pounds) and doctors recommended the surgery for health reasons. In only four months she lost half her previous weight, dropping to 126 pounds and fitting into a size 8 dress. But, as the Daily Mail reports, she paid the ultimate price:

“I held my little girl and she died in my arms. I was devastated with grief.

“The doctors told me Juli had died because of my extreme weight loss during pregnancy, it was a terrible thing to hear and something I have to live with.”

Gastric Bypass Surgery Ended Up Killing Premature Baby

Holly Emms before and after gastric bypass surgery. (Image: Daily Mail)

Emms said that she didn’t not receive a pregnancy test from doctors before the operation. She didn‘t really realize anything was wrong until six weeks after the surgery when she couldn’t keep food down normally. She was 10 weeks pregnant she was finally tested:

“I am angry at the doctors and myself for not thinking of doing a pregnancy test,” she said.

“Nobody offered me one and I never thought of it.

“I wish with all my heart that I had because I wouldn’t have gone ahead with the operation. There is always a chance, however small, that a woman could be pregnant.”

At this point, Daily Mail reports, Emms was not getting the nutrients the baby needed but she herself was too weak to endure another operation to reverse the surgery that separated her stomach into two parts.

Doctors say Juli most likely died from a micronutrient deficiency. Gastric bypass patients usually have vitamin deficiency themselves.

A spokeswoman from Imperial College Healthcare NHS, which runs Charing Cross Hospital where Emms’ surgery was performed, said female patients have to sign a consent form agreeing to avoid pregnancy for two years to “minimize complications like maternal malnutrition, miscarriage and premature, or underweight, birth.

Juli was born 15 weeks premature and weighed 1.9 pounds. Julie was born in May but Emms said she was too grieved to speak about the death until now.

Comments (23)

  • ememunoz
    Posted on June 22, 2012 at 7:10pm

    I had a very similar experience with my gastric bypass procedure. I went in for surgery, everything was fine post op. I had an upper GI bleed about 3 weeks after surgery and then 2 weeks after that I woke up having terrible stomach pains and bleeding horrifically, I went to the ER and they did an ultrasound and found out I was 11 weeks pregnant and miscarrying….. I would have never had this surgery had I only known!

    Report Post »  
  • UrbanCombatSurvivor
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:49pm

    Social Medicine, you know. They can’t afford all of those wasteful medical tests…Mother Government decided she didn’t need them anyway.

    Report Post »  
  • muriel395
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:21pm

    So sad….I just can not beleive that they did not give her a test! Poor little baby…I feel bad for the baby and the Mom. So sad!

    Report Post »  
  • bakanomiko
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:29pm

    I cannot believe they did not do a pregnancy test prior to surgery. EVERY single surgery, no matter how minor, I’ve been tested. Before my gastric bypass, it was stressed to me how important it was to make sure I was not pregnant and to not get pregnant for at least 2 years following surgery. Even when I told my medical team I abstain, I still had to have a pregnancy test.

    The lack of a test beforehand boggles my mind.

    Report Post » bakanomiko  
  • PATRIOTMAMA
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 7:42am

    I had a friend that almost died with this same surgery and because of the same reason. Drastic weight loss is NEVER a good thing. She ended up in the hospital for months. PLEASE PLEASE be very careful when considering this mutating surgery. I have never been obese and I can understand only intellectually how that must be but please know that nothing worth having is ever easy and the only way to loose weiight healthfully is to do it the hard way. Slow and steady wins the race!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Carol Ingian
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:19am

    This is a terribly sad story. I wonder why the doctors didn’t place her on a more nutrient rich diet, there are several drinks available today that may have helped. Couldn‘t something have been given with IV’s? The doctors should have monitored her and the baby more carefully.

    Report Post »  
    • Slipstick
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:34am

      I had a similar surgery, and opine that if she lost 125# in 4 months, she is in more danger than just losing a pregnancy. I was put on protein drinks and extra vitamins as part of my post surgical regimen. I lost 200# but took 2 years to do it. Something *else* is wrong here. I don’t think the whole story is being told.

      Report Post » Slipstick  
    • kindling
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:03am

      I adopted a baby born at the same age and weight at birth as this baby in the story. The birth mother was a serious drug addict and had a 3 day on the street delivery. The baby flat lined several times and was not expected to live. Now that child is a happy helpful loving child. They are doing well in school and seems very normal.

      Report Post » kindling  
  • slvrserfr
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:00am

    I don‘t think she’ll have any problem getting pregnant again. But I‘m surprised that she didn’t note any of the warning signs of pregnancy. Throwing up, cravings or any of these things that would lead her to wonder why she was all of a sudden gaining this excessive weight. She seems like someone that would have a naturally high metabolism, to see her gain that much weight in that short amount of time and she wouldn’t even consider the possibility that maybe she was pregnant?

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    • loriann12
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 7:26am

      My first pregnancy, I only threw up once, and it was well into the pregnancy. My second pregnancy, I was sick the first 4 months and actually lost weight. I had a friend (I’ll admit she was really naive) who didn’t realize she was pregnant until she was about 5 months. I was outraged until I read the details on this one. She would have only been 4 weeks pregnant when they did the surgery. She had been on the “program” for 6 weeks, and was 10 weeks pregnant. Most women don‘t know they’re pregnant until they’re a couple months along. You don’t feel movement until about 4 months. And if she weighed that much, she definitely wasn’t showing. I weighed 126 (in a size 9), and started showing the first month.

      Report Post »  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:50am

    She was too weak to get the surgery to undo it? To get surgery, you lie on a table, she was too weak to lie on a table? Sounds like murder charges should be considered.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
  • Topnife
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:25am

    Having performed 2500 of these surgeries, 80% on females, I can attest that a negative pregnancy test is always a pre-operative requirement by responsible surgeons, unless they operate under a state-managed healthcare system where saving money is the paramount objective. Good medical care is not inexpensive, and those who would save money seldom bear the consequences of their decisions on behalf of others.

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 7:30am

      Really good point. I noticed they gave her weight in “stones” which is a British measurement. Britain has government health care.

      Report Post »  
    • teddrunk
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:07am

      How much can a pregnancy test cost? Don’t they sell them in the drug stores for a few bucks?

      Report Post »  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:40am

    Terrible for everyone involved.

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:39am

    Alec Baldwin is throwing a huge fit at the death of this innocent life, and having his Twitter fans send insulting texts to the doctors and hospital staff. He is such an advocate for the innocent.

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
    • rdietz7
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 7:08am

      That guy is of the same mold as Gore. Heck, they even both have similar features. Bloated, dark circles along with self righteousness. Look at both of them in the 90′s and then their inner demon reaked havok on their exterior after finishing them up on the inside. They are both finished, thanks be to God.

      Report Post » rdietz7  
  • sandy21957
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:31am

    By-pass surgery? What was her BMI? She didn’t look that fat in the before pic. I thought you had to be 100 lbs over weight to have bariatric surgery. So sad.

    Report Post » sandy21957  
  • richard bensen
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:28am

    It‘s a shame of the child’s loss I must agree…But think about it..who is to blame?..I feel no one was to blame.why would a doctor want to test her for pregnancy if she came to him in the sense of losing weight?And she not suspecting herself having life in her belly she was concerned for her well being..I would believe it to be an accident before I would blame the Doctor..I sense that the doctor will be villified and sued beyond repair..I hope not since this is a tragic oversight that hopefully can be avoided in the future…There will be no winners in this case since it involves the loss of a child…

    Report Post » richard bensen  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:21am

    This is heartbreaking. It should be standard procedure to have a pregnancy test before any surgery. I thought it was a requirement. So sad.

    Report Post »  
  • Mrs. Bowers
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:05am

    Holy smokes! Why wasn’t she tested for pregnancy prior to the procedure?

    Report Post »  

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