Emily was my fourth pregnancy. My first and second ended at 23 weeks with stillbirths and after I lost my third baby at 8 weeks I was sent to St Mary`s Hospital in Paddington for tests where it was found I had antiphospholipid syndrome which was the cause for my prem labour in previous pregnancies. I was told I could have Aspirin and Heparin during any future pregnancies and that may help. I got pregnant for the fourth time in 2003 and my baby was due on 20 April 2004. On Christmas Eve 2003 at 23 weeks again I went into labour. I was sent to hospital and had a stich put in my cervix and also had drugs to stop the contractions. we have no facilities to cope with extremely premature babies in the channel islands so I was transferred to Southampton on 29 December. Emily was born on 2 January 2004 at 24 weeks weighing 1 pound 8 ounces (680g). She had heart surgery at 21 days old, 15+ blood transfusions, has kidney reflux, pulmonary stenosis,asthma and has had two operations on her eyes and may need more. She was a heck of a fighter though and has just started school in September. She is smaller than her classmates but just as bright and to look at her you wouldn`t think that she had been through all that she has. Emily is one of the lucky ones, please help to make this the case for more.

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