Kelly Ashcroft, from Anfield, Liverpool, lost three babies due to kidney disease and has spoken of the guilt she felt. She has lived with kidney problems since she was two years old, after contracting a severe E. coli infection.
She has two forms of kidney disease: haemolytic uraemic syndrome and IgA nephropathy. In 2015, at age 21, she became pregnant with twins while her kidneys were functioning at only 35%. She lost both babies due to the pressure on her body.
Pregnancy losses and a transplant
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Kelly said: "My kidneys were monitored by Alder Hey Children's Hospital, but they steadily declined throughout my childhood. At 18, it was discovered that I had a second kidney disease called IgA nephropathy."
"Both diseases were contributing to my kidneys failing and doctors began to discuss the need for a transplant. That brought home how serious everything was."
"My kidney function had fallen to 35% by the time I was pregnant with my twins, when I was 21-years-old. After becoming pregnant, I was told that having two children could put too much pressure on my body, and, at 12 weeks, I was given the option to end one of the pregnancies to continue with the other. I burst into tears, I couldn't give up on my children. Miracles can happen where children survive against the odds, but sadly that didn't happen for us."
"In the end, my pregnancy took too big a toll on my kidneys. At 19 weeks, my blood pressure became really high, and I was taken into hospital where I was told that one of my babies had died. Only a week later, my blood pressure dropped, and I found out that my other child had also died. It was incredibly painful."
"If I hadn't picked myself up, I would have spent the rest of my life crying. I took time off work, the women's hospital in Liverpool gave me bereavement support, my family rallied around me, and we had a funeral for our twins, which helped us find some closure. Nothing could take away the pain though. I felt like I could draw a circle on my stomach and there was a big physical hole."
Welcoming Alfie and a difficult choice
Two years later, with the support of the NHS kidney team, Kelly gave birth to a healthy boy named Alfie. She said: "I couldn't live without trying again to have a baby. It was scary, but I had to try. I worked closely with my doctor to manage my pregnancy, and they kept a close eye on me. Thankfully, I became a mother to a healthy, happy, little boy. Every day I was scared I'd lose him, as with my first pregnancy, but it was worth the fear of those months to have Alfie."
She became pregnant again later that year, but made the heartbreaking decision to terminate the pregnancy due to her worsening kidney condition and the danger to herself and her unborn child. She added: "I was told it was very unlikely that my pregnancy would continue after my kidneys failed. The doctors said that even if my baby was born, it was likely they would have significant health problems and a poor quality of life."
"I felt I had no choice but to have a medical termination. That was heartbreaking. I felt a lot of guilt, but I had to make sure I didn't put my life at risk when I had Alfie to think about too."
Kelly, now 32, was placed on the transplant waiting list in 2021. By the time she underwent a kidney transplant in June 2024, her kidneys were functioning at just 9%. The operation has improved her energy levels and quality of life.
Raising awareness at the Liverpool Bridges Walk
Kelly is now preparing to walk alongside her dad Colin and hundreds of supporters at the Kidney Research UK Liverpool Bridges Walk on Sunday, September 6. The walk starts at Pier Head and crosses dockside bridges, passing the Royal Albert Dock, the Liver Building and the Maritime Museum. Walkers can choose a 2.2 mile or 6.1 mile route.
Kelly said: "It's important to me to raise awareness of the difficulties kidney patients can face when having children. Living with kidney disease shouldn't steal somebody's opportunity to become a parent or enjoy their lives."
"I have benefited from treatments, including transplantation, that would not exist without research. I had my transplant just in time, and it's not an exaggeration to say that without past research, I wouldn't be here today. My big hope is that if we keep going, one day a cure for kidney disease can be found, meaning people have less limitations placed on their lives."
More than 7,200 people in the UK are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, and six people die every week while waiting, according to latest NHS figures. In Liverpool, 220 people are waiting for a transplant. Analysis from Kidney Research UK shows approximately 42,500 people in Liverpool are living with kidney disease, many without knowing it.
Georgia Kelly, head of community and events at Kidney Research UK, said: "We're so grateful to Kelly for speaking so openly about her experiences to help shine light on kidney disease, which touches millions of lives and can be utterly devastating. That's why our Liverpool Bridges Walk is so important. It brings people affected by kidney disease together with friends, families and supporters to share their stories, raise awareness and help fund the vital research that will one day end kidney disease."
"Whatever the British weather throws at us, the atmosphere at our Bridges Walks is always incredible. We can't wait to cheer Kelly and all our participants on and hope people from across Liverpool will join us to celebrate the amazing strength and resilience of the kidney community."
