Helicopter transfer saves the day

Maria Nally counts her blessings that, when she got a shock diagnosis in the hours leading up to her daughter’s birth, a rescue helicopter was available.

Before Aoife’s arrival last June, Nally was diagnosed with a serious late-stage pregnancy complication, HELLP.

‘‘The acronym stands for hemolysis elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count,’’ Nally said. ‘‘It can come on quickly without much warning and begins in the later stages of pregnancy or soon after childbirth.’’

It was picked up when Nally went to Tauranga Hospital for an induction and routine blood tests, which revealed a ‘‘dangerously low’’ platelet count and liver function that was ‘‘through the roof’’.

Both the baby and Nally needed urgent platelet transfusions and were rushed to Waikato Hospital in the rescue helicopter – along with Nally’s midwife.

‘‘I didn’t realise how serious the condition was until I was told the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was on the way over from Waikato Hospital,’’ said Nally.

‘‘I underwent an emergency caesarian at Waikato and stayed in the high-dependency unit for three days until mine and baby Aoife’s condition was stable enough to be transferred back to Tauranga.

‘‘I was told after Aoife was born that she had dropped her growth significantly and I was incredibly lucky it was not a stillbirth.

‘‘Looking back, it makes me incredibly emotional thinking about it all and what saviours you all were to us, and how lucky we were,’’ she told the rescue team.

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter’s Chopper Appeal is running, and donations can be made online.