Meet Elly Stark, the miracle premature baby who survived many medical emergencies

In an incredible story of survival, a mum and baby endured three blood clots and haemorrhages between them and stayed as one body for four weeks after the mum’s water broke. Here’s how the premature bub is doing.

There was a gentle kick in embryologist Nic Stark’s stomach as she went to start an IVF procedure for the patient lying in front of her.

“I was feeling Elly, thinking I have a beautiful baby growing inside me and I’m about to help this patient have a baby. It was a special moment,” she said.

“But as I stepped away, I felt a gush. There was no pain, no contractions, nothing. But the bleeding was so heavy, I thought I lost my baby. I was so distressed.”

Ms Stark knew a lot about pregnancy. As well as working in IVF, she herself had taken her 11 IVF cycles to become pregnant with Elly, her second child. That followed a miscarriage a few years earlier.

She couldn’t bear the thought of losing another baby.

Elly Stark was 1.1kg when she was born. Photo: supplied

Ms Stark was 22 weeks into her pregnancy when she suffered the first blood clot while carrying Elly. It was the first of three close calls the Shire mother came to losing her precious baby. She’s now sharing her story in support of the doctors and nurses at Randwick’s Royal Hospital for Women who saved Elly’s life multiple times.

After Ms Stark bled the first time, doctors who could find no explanation for the clot urged her to take the rest of her pregnancy off work and relax. They said Elly was moving and it seemed everything would be okay.

Nic Stark was 25 weeks pregnant when her water broke. Photo: supplied

A couple of weeks later, she travelled down to Kiama to visit her parents for her husband Leigh’s birthday. As they sat on the couch watching Disney cartoons with their four-year-old daughter, Emma, she suddenly felt that familiar, frightening gush of liquid.

But when she went to the bathroom, it wasn’t blood.

Ms Stark was rushed to hospital so fast she couldn’t say bye to her sleeping daughter. She discovered her water had broke. She was just 25 weeks pregnant.

Doctors told Ms Stark she would give birth in a number of hours.

Tiny Elly suffered several emergencies before and after she was born. Photo: supplied

“They said the chances for survival were minimal and this completely terrified me,” she said.

But, incredibly, Ms Stark kept Elly inside her for another four weeks. It was a scary month in hospital, until her precious bundle of joy couldn’t wait any longer to meet her.

At 29 weeks pregnant and on December 8 last year, Ms Stark gave birth to a tiny 1.1kg bub. Elly gave out one little squeak to say hello to her mum. And then she stopped breathing.

The doctors took Elly away to try to revive her as Ms Stark was taken to the post-natal ward.

Elly’s nurses and midwives went above and beyond to make her mum feel better. Photo: supplied

“When my husband came and saw me, I noticed he had been crying and he never cries, he’s such a strong person” Ms Stark said.

“Elly was still critical and the neonatal nurse couldn’t make any promises. My world imploded. I was feeling physically sick from morphine and again (feared) that I’d lost my daughter.”

But the medical team’s dedication and Elly’s will to live prevailed. With a huge amount of breathing support, Elly pulled through. Ms Stark got to hold her for the first time on December 16, her birthday.

“It was the best birthday present I’ve ever had. She was so tiny, but perfect,” Ms Stark said.

But almost immediately, the rollercoaster of emotions took another downturn. The doctors went from thinking Elly was on the road to recovery to telling Ms Stark her baby had a brain haemorrhage. It was already grade two of the five levels of severity.

Elly with her older sister, Emma. Photo: supplied

“I went into shock, I could barely stand, I was hyperventilating,” Ms Stark said.

Amazingly, things went Elly’s way yet again and the brain swelling subsided over the coming days.

All up, Elly was in hospital for 75 days.

Now, she’s a giggly, healthy eight-month-old. Ms Stark said she will be more susceptible to breathing issues such as asthma and lung infections until about the age of four, which was tough in a Covid world, but that was the only main health concern.

Ms Stark said she could never find the words to thank the team at Royal Women’s Hospital for all that they did, including going above and beyond their job description to write cards they signed “from Elly” to give Ms Stark updates of her condition.

Elly is now a happy and healthy eight-month-old. Photo: supplied

One card which she keeps in her purse reads: “Hi Mum, I know you had a bad day today, but here are my footsteps at 14 days old”.

“You can tell all these neonatal staff live and breathe this job, they love what they do,” Ms Stark said. “They pour their hearts and souls into this job and without them I wouldn’t have Elly.”

Ms Stark will be cheering for the Royal Hospital for Women team of doctors, midwives and clinicians tackling the 14km City 2 Surf run on Sunday and said she’ll look to join them next year.

Obstetrician Dr Antonia Shand, who is part of the Royal Runners team, said she’ll be thinking of her patients as she runs.

“I want to ensure their babies get off to the best possible start in life,” she said.

“What I love most about my job is supporting women through the ups and downs of complicated pregnancies. It’s so rewarding to see them at the end of the journey with their beautiful babies.”

The 'Royal Runners' in this year's C2S. Dr Shand is second from the left. Photo: supplied

Around eight per cent of Australian babies are born prematurely every year, according to the federal government’s health department.

Premature means they arrive before 37 weeks gestation. The causes of premature labour aren’t fully understood, so prediction and prevention are difficult.

Premature babies are at risk of a range of disabilities, including visual impairment, developmental delay and learning difficulties — but many grow up to live healthy lives.

The $3170 and counting the Royal Runners have raised will go to the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation to help secure new equipment for premature babies and advance fertility treatment for women.