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Baby Dies After Rare Condition Missed
22 Feb
Summary
- A baby died hours after birth due to undetected Antiphospholipid syndrome.
- The mother is campaigning for routine UK pregnancy testing for this condition.
- Early signs of complications were noted during a 28-week scan.

New mother Lucy Regan experienced the joy of holding her daughter, Nelly, for the first time, only for the infant to tragically pass away hours later. A routine 28-week scan had indicated complications, leading to an emergency C-section. Doctors had warned that Nelly was unlikely to survive. For nine days, Lucy and her partner Kyle Malone stayed by their daughter's bedside at the hospital. Months later, tests revealed Lucy had Antiphospholipid syndrome, also known as sticky blood syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition not routinely screened for by the NHS during pregnancy. This condition causes blood to clot too easily, potentially restricting blood flow to a fetus. Lucy is now petitioning for mandatory routine testing for all pregnancies in the UK. She had no indication of illness during her pregnancy until the night of the delivery, when her blood pressure spiked. Nelly was transferred to a specialized hospital, but despite the couple's hope, she succumbed to her condition. Lucy later discovered she had APS during a subsequent pregnancy, which allowed for early treatment and a healthy birth for her son, Teddy. The Scottish Government stated they rely on the UK National Screening Committee for advice on screening programs and would consider APS screening if recommended.




