A mother who was informed she was miscarrying her twins delivered at 22 weeks and reports the pair are now flourishing.
Jade Crane, 43, rushed to hospital after noticing her waters appeared to be gradually leaking. Following ten years of IVF treatment and several miscarriages, Jade had finally progressed past the 12-week milestone and thought everything was progressing smoothly. However, at 22 weeks and five days into her pregnancy, medics informed her she was experiencing a miscarriage.
Jade unexpectedly went into labour and her daughter Harley arrived weighing 500 grams, with her brother Harry following an hour later at 520 grams. Now aged four, the twins are medical evidence of survival.
Unexpected Delivery
Jade, formerly a mental health nurse, from Heanor, Derbyshire, recalled: The doctor said, 'I'm really sorry, but you're having a miscarriage.' It didn't make sense to me because I could still feel them moving around and the pregnancy had been perfect.
The children were the size of a coke can - and their hands looked like barbie doll fingers because they were so perfect and tiny. Because they were so light - only weighing around 500g each - sometimes when I cook a cake I am reminded about how tiny they are - they literally weighed similar to a big block of butter. At Christmas we laughed because they were literally the size of an elf on a shelf. They are thriving now - they survived through so much and you see that strength within them.
Jade hurried to Nottingham City Hospital after noticing the amniotic fluid was gradually leaking. Following confirmation she was experiencing a miscarriage, medical staff initially discussed attempting to maintain the pregnancy until 24 weeks. As medical intervention wasn't allowed before 24 weeks, she couldn't have a scan to determine whether her babies were safe.
Upon discovering this, Jade has advocated for the grey area to be widened so mothers' babies can receive medical intervention sooner. Nevertheless, Jade was informed the neonatal team's strategy was to attempt keeping her pregnant for a further 30 hours until reaching 23 weeks. Frantic to save her children, she begged doctors to act straight away.
A Cry for Life
She said: They were talking to me about comfort care and how the babies might only live for an hour or a day. I said if there is any chance you can help them, that's what I want you to do.
Jade's daughter Harley arrived just minutes afterwards on October 26, 2021, at 22 weeks gestation - 18 weeks premature. Jade said: I couldn't hear her cry and someone told me I wouldn't at that stage. Then, right on cue, she let out this tiny cry like a little kitten.
Harley was instantly taken by the neonatal team for emergency treatment. Her twin brother, Harry, stayed in the womb for just over an hour before also arriving. She said: He was born still inside his sac. He looked very grey compared to his sister but then he let out a tiny cry.
Both infants were immediately transferred for urgent medical attention. The twins remained in neonatal intensive care for the following five months before eventually being discharged home in March 2022, a month beyond their expected delivery date.
Medical Challenges
Jade explained: They were both born with undeveloped lungs, so they had lung bleeds, a hole in the heart each, brain bleeds - they even had to have eye surgery which is very common for babies before 34 weeks. One of the worst was their perforated bowels - both of them had to go through surgery for that. The twins also both had a chronic lung disease so it meant they had to come home with oxygen - normally a child is on this for over a year or two - but my babies are so strong and came off within 4 months.
Jade characterised leaving hospital as simultaneously thrilling and frightening. She recalled: I felt like I was stealing them. The nurses become your friends and your family. Taking home two babies on oxygen was scary and I didn't want to leave. We actually delayed it because I wasn't ready.
Thriving Today
Now, Harley and Harry are four-and-a-half years old and enrolled at a specialist school. Harley has non-verbal autism while Harry has cerebral palsy, though Jade insists neither condition defines them. Jade remarked: Harley kicked a nurse when she was born and she's still feisty now. Harry, meanwhile, remains as laid-back as he was during his dramatic arrival.
Impressively, neither child has needed additional hospital admissions since departing neonatal care. Jade commented: They are happy, healthy children and we've done amazingly well - they really are medical evidence of survival.
