Meg Edmonds, a 22-year-old from Staffordshire, is speaking out after her newborn daughter Magnolia died from multiple organ failure just 10 days after birth, following contact with the cold sore virus. The tragedy occurred in February, and Edmonds is now seeking legal support to investigate whether medical professionals missed opportunities to spot the infection sooner.
A Joyful Start Turned to Tragedy
Edmonds had always wanted two children close in age. When she saw two confirmation lines on her pregnancy test last spring, she felt 'pure excitement'. The next day, she bought a 'big sister' jumper for her 11-month-old daughter Cordelia to surprise her partner Ben Brookes with the news.
The pregnancy and birth were 'really straightforward'. Magnolia, named Maggie for short, was born in the early hours of Sunday 1st February via a quick water birth, 11 days overdue. Ten days later, she died of multiple organ failure after coming into contact with the cold sore virus.
Symptoms and Missed Warnings
Looking back at photos from February, Edmonds can now see a cold sore on her lips. 'I've got pictures of me in the birthing pool with the lesion on my mouth, and it looks very fresh at that point,' she said. 'It was only in the 24 hours after I gave birth that my symptoms developed much further, in what we now believe was a primary HSV infection.'
A primary HSV infection is the first time a person is exposed to the herpes simplex virus, with no pre-existing antibodies. For many, it is asymptomatic or causes minor symptoms like cold sores, but for babies it can be fatal. Edmonds developed a sore throat, sores on her lips, and ulcers inside her mouth. When she raised these symptoms with health professionals, she says she was told they were likely hormonal or due to dehydration.
Two days after birth, Magnolia stopped waking for feeds. She was tested for jaundice, a common condition in newborns that can cause sleepiness. Edmonds' right nipple became sore and too tender to breastfeed from, which she initially thought was caused by Cordelia accidentally pulling Magnolia off her breast. In hindsight, she believes it was due to the HSV infection.
The NHS advises new mothers not to breastfeed if they have herpes sores around their nipples and not to feed expressed milk from the affected breast. Edmonds says she was not told this at the time and continued to pump through the pain.
Emergency and Loss
By day five, it was taking up to half an hour to wake Maggie for a feed, and her breathing seemed uneven. The couple raised this at the hospital but were reassured it was due to weight loss and feeding. On Monday evening, at eight days old, Maggie looked grey and felt cold. Her temperature was 34 degrees, her oxygen was very low, and she had a high-pitched, weak cry. An ambulance blue-lighted them to one hospital, then they were transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
A doctor questioned the sores on Edmonds' lips, and Maggie was put on HSV antiviral treatment before tests confirmed the infection. 'They were amazing. They tried to do everything for her, but it was just far too late,' said Edmonds. 'She passed away on the morning of Wednesday 11 February.'
Edmonds struggles to remember the exact moment she was told the cold sore virus had killed her daughter. 'Obviously it just completely broke me. I felt it was a total failure on my part,' she said. Ben and Meg are now seeking legal support to identify missed opportunities for medical professionals to spot the infection sooner.
Raising Awareness
Edmonds is sharing her story to support The Lullaby Trust's Infection Prevention Week, themed 'your baby, your boundaries'. New research from the charity finds 57% of UK parents or carers have had a family member kiss their baby without asking, and nearly half (46%) feel uncomfortable asking friends and family to wash their hands before touching or holding their baby. Additionally, 44% have felt uncomfortable about a stranger touching their baby but have not spoken up.
'My baby died from HSV that came from me, but it could've been anyone,' said Edmonds. 'It all comes down to the fact that no one in our family or friends knew a cold sore could kill a baby despite most regularly having cold sores themselves. If I'd known that a cold sore could kill a baby, then my daughter would still be here.'
