MUM'S HORROR
I nearly flushed my baby down the loo not knowing I’d given birth – I was on the pill and had 2 negative tests
WHEN student Lalene Malik started to experience stomach pains, she just thought she was constipated.
The 23-year-old had been prescribed the contraceptive pill five months earlier so didn't think that the cause of her pain would be pregnancy.
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Lalene, from Greenford, West London, had taken two pregnancy tests in February which were both negative.
She visited her GP a number of times after experiencing symptoms including weight gain and a shortness of breath.
Lalene had blood tests but the results were lost and medics told her to come back to the surgery three to six months later.
But the next time Lalene saw medics, was after she was rushed to hospital on March 26.
Read more on pregnancy
While waiting to be seen in hospital, Lalene's mum Sumra new something wasn't right when her daughter was crying in pain.
After using the toilet, Lalene was about to flush, but luckily spotted a tiny arm in the bowl.
She believes the baby may have been stuck for up to seven minutes before he was rescued by medics.
Lalene said she was in total shock and was put into another room with her mum.
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She said: "It was a complete shock and a trauma for both of us and I felt that my life was in danger,.
“(My mum) started crying and (said) to me: ‘Don’t you know you have a baby?’ From then on I was pale.”
Doctors who retrieved the baby said he “looked lifeless” and was not breathing, but resuscitation efforts were successful.
Little Mohammed Ibrahim was given chest compressions.
The signs of pregnany you need to know
Doctors calculate pregnancy from the first day of a woman’s last period, rather than from the date the baby was conceived - if the parents’ can remember it.
The first obvious sign is usually a missed period.
Not all women experience the same pregnancy symptoms.
Here's the most common signs:
- missed period
- fatigue
- headaches
- bloating
- needing the loo more or less
- morning sickness
- bleeding
- dizziness
- breast tenderness
- mood changes
- hot flashes
He was born full term and is now healthy after he was given oxygen and monitored carefully by hospital staff.
After her ordeal, Lalene says tests given by her GP at The Elm Trees surgery, could have identified her pregnancy.
She had taken the pill from October to January and hadn't been planning on having a child.
Lalene said she only started to have mild symptoms in February and would have never thought they were down to pregnancy.
Two weeks later her son was born, but Lalene said she wishes both her and her husband had more time to prepare for his arrival and enjoy the pregnancy.
The Roehampton student added: "It’s a blessing and I’m happy for the baby, but honestly the surgery should have said something because I told them I was married and I wanted to progress with my masters.”
Lalene is now determined to continue her studies but has had to defer her place for a year.
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In a statement, the Elm Trees Surgery said: "We are very sorry to learn of Ms Malik’s experience, this falls below the standards of care we expect from our services.
"Please be assured that this matter will be fully investigated.”
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