A mother from Farnham, Surrey, has praised the medical team at St George’s Hospital in Tooting after she lost 13 litres of blood during the birth of her daughter. Harriet Paget, 36, was diagnosed with placenta accreta, a rare condition where the placenta grows too deeply into the womb, posing a life-threatening risk during delivery.
Harriet was admitted to hospital at 30 weeks pregnant after experiencing bleeding. She gave birth at 35 weeks via planned caesarean section in May 2024, led by consultant Ana Pinas. During the procedure, Harriet lost nearly three times the average amount of blood in a woman’s body, which is around 4.5 litres. The specialist accreta team performed life-saving procedures to keep her alive.
Her daughter was taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for breathing support, while Harriet was also moved to intensive care. Remarkably, both were discharged eight days later. Harriet said: 'The caring teams at St George’s made it bearable. I was filled with gratitude for everyone who cared for me.'
In tribute to her consultant, Harriet gave her daughter the middle name Ana. She also ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April, raising over £5,000 for St George’s Hospital Charity. She is now urging the public to nominate staff for the gesh CARE Awards, which recognise clinical and support staff at the hospital group.
Consultant Ana Pinas said: 'Harriet was one of our most challenging cases. I will never forget seeing her awake in intensive care only 24 hours after we were concerned about her life.' The awards are now in their second year, with nominations open until 8 October.
