S2 Episode 7: Keep my body alive for them. An experience of Covid in Pregnancy.

Kaillee was only 25 weeks pregnant with her much wanted IVF twin pregnancy when her partner Chris started to feel unwell after a trip to the supermarket. It was 2020, in the very early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. Kailee was working from home and taking every precaution possible to avoid exposure to this new virus and keep her babies safe. By the time Chris’ results came back seven days later, Kaillee felt the first symptoms of infection emerging. As Chris got better, Kailee rapidly declined. Gasping for breath, and feeling like she was drowning, Kaillee found herself in an ambulance being rushed into the hospital. Her babies had stopped moving normally as they struggled to conserve their energy, as the oxygen flowing through their placenta became increasingly compromised. Before being rushed to ICU and intubated, Kaillee recalls saying goodbye in her mind to her babies. ‘Keep my body alive for them’ she begged her partner. In case I don’t wake up to meet them.