Trouble at the double for mum Nina

Nina Spencer is mum to two sets of twins and now she is saying thank you to the hospital that cared for her and her babies when things went wrong. Catherine Scott reports.

Nina Spencer knows what it is like to be mum to double, double trouble.

She is mum to two sets of twins –but not without complications.

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Nina, 37, gave birth to twins Jessica and Mason six months ago- but only after going through a very rare but life-threatening pregnancy complication called Placenta Percreta.

Nina, who is married to Chris, 48, is also mum to twins Jake and Melody, aged six, and step-son, Cameron, 17,

“At 35 weeks gestation I was diagnosed with Placenta Percreta – a serious pregnancy condition that occurs when blood vessels and other parts of the placenta grow too deeply into the uterine wall – which was life threatening for both me and my twins,” explains Nina.

“I was admitted for a week at the Jessop Wing at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital for observation in preparation for an operation. During that time I was seen by several doctors and nurses, one of whom was Dr Ruth Newton, who became my rock throughout my stay.

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“She answered any questions I had and talked me through my operation and recovery process step-by-step. I believe this lady deserves a medal for helping me through the scariest time of my life. She is a true superhero.”

Ruth had an operation a week later at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital which included a caesarean section for the birth of her babies, a hysterectomy and a blood transfusion at the same time.

“When I woke up, I was soon able to meet the twins who were doing really well, thanks to the amazing staff at the Jessop Wing who had organised bringing them over to the Hallamshire. It was amazing.”

Nina will now join her family in taking on the Jessops Superheroes event to give something back to the city healthcare staff who saved her life. The Sheffield Hospitals Charity event takes place in June and raises money for the Jessop Wing.

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“All of the staff at Jessop’s became our family for what would end up being a three-week stay. I would have felt very scared and lonely without my husband, but he was also allowed to stay and he was treated with so much care and respect,” says Nina.

“The care I received was above and beyond our expectations. I will never be able to express enough gratitude to the staff who cared for me. Taking part in Jessop’s Superheroes can only ever cover a small percentage of how grateful I am.”

To raise funds to help improve the care and treatment of babies and their families at the Jessop Wing, Sheffield Hospitals Charity is hosting its fifth annual Jessops Superheroes event on Sunday June 10. For more information, or to register, visit www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk/superheroes email [email protected] or call 0114 226 7351. Nina has written a blog about her journey, which can 
be accessed at www.spencersarc.com