Jade Jagger’s girl: ‘I nearly lost my baby in premature birth’
SIR MICK Jagger’s granddaughter has revealed that her baby almost died after her waters broke when she was just 26 weeks pregnant.
Speaking for the first time about the birth of her first child, Amba Jackson discloses that the very premature boy, River, had to be delivered via an emergency caesarean section.
‘My plan was to have my son at home with a spiritual midwife,’ says artist Amba, 23, whose mother is the Rolling Stones singer’s daughter Jade. Her father is artist Piers Jackson.
But her birth plans were thrown into turmoil when she suffered a complication known as PPROM, or preterm premature rupture of the membranes.
‘My waters went at 26 weeks into my pregnancy,’ Amba says.
‘I was told there was an 80 per cent chance I would go into labour within 24 hours.’
PPROM involves the waters, or amniotic fluid, around the baby bursting before the mother has reached her full term.
It carries the risk of the mother going into labour prematurely, putting the baby’s life at risk. And there’s also the danger of infection, so immediate medical attention is required.
‘We got lucky,’ says Amba, who declines to give the name of River’s father. ‘After four weeks of careful observation and hospital check- ups, [River] decided to make his appearance by emergency C-section.’ Babies born before 24 weeks are unlikely to live, but the chances of survival are more than 95 per cent from 30 weeks onwards. Amba adds: ‘ This was a lifechanging experience for us both and I have the NHS neonatal unit to thank for letting us live. ‘River is now three months old, healthy, happy and very fat.’ To give thanks for the survival of Sir Mick’s great-grandchild, Amba is to attempt a hula-hoop challenge in January, where she will perform a dance while holding River, to raise money for Bliss, a charity for babies born sick or premature. River is the great-nephew of Sir Mick’s youngest child, Deveraux, who is just two years old.