Mum-of-two Bethany Girardi miraculously survives retained placenta ordeal

Unbearable pain and nausea plagued a Melbourne mum for almost 18 months after the birth of her second child – until she learned the cause of her suffering.

Mum-of-two Bethany Girardi miraculously survived a long mystery illness, only finding out 18 months after the birth of her child that her crippling symptoms were due to retained placenta.

A Melbourne mum who continued to have severe pregnancy symptoms for 18 months after the birth of her second child is warning other mothers of the bizarre birth complication.

Bethany Girardi couldn’t keep food down, was unable to stand up for long periods of time, lost mobility in her hands, and had “insane amounts” of pelvic pain following the birth in August 2021.

“None of it made any sense,” she said.

“Doctors spent months upon months upon months … trying to work out what was wrong with me.”

After almost 18 months of crippling symptoms, Mrs Girardi passed an “eight by two” inch piece of organic matter.

Bethany Girardi suffered extreme symptoms post-birth. Picture: Supplied

“I took one look at it, and I knew immediately: that’s placenta,” she said.

A normal part of pregnancy, Mrs Girardi’s placenta was attached to her uterus to feed her baby.

The mum-of-two spent almost 18 months trying to find the cause of her suffering. Picture: Supplied.

However, when it was manually removed at a Cabrini Health hospital following the birth, part of it likely tore and remained connected.

“Nobody told me this at the time,” she said.

“I was so, so lucky because ultimately I should have died.

“But I didn’t. I’m still here, I still get to enjoy my kids. I still get to enjoy time with my husband. I get to slowly, slowly make a new life.”

Mum-of-two Bethany Girardi miraculously survived a long mystery illness, only finding out 18 months after the birth of her child that her crippling symptoms were due to retained placenta.

She said doctors told her only one to three per cent of vaginal births experienced the complication, and retention of the placenta for even a few months could be lethal.

“’How am I not dead?’ was the next thought that went through my head,” she said.

“It’s actually a miracle that it didn’t go septic.”

In severe pain and with no idea what was happening to her body, the 29-year-old was forced to give up the dance school business she had run for six years.

“The career I had been working for since I was basically 13... That is out of the picture now,” the dance teacher said.

“I have lost the ability to look after (my) kids myself because I can’t run after them quick enough.”

Her son was born premature after a difficult pregnancy. Picture: Supplied

Eventually, after seeing a number of specialists, Mrs Girardi received surgery to remove any remaining “debris”.

Nine months later, she now requires physical therapy to regain her muscle loss having spent six months unable to get out of bed.

Friend of the family John Englezos has launched a GoFundMe to help support the Girardis until an NDIS plan is approved.

He said the couple were an asset to the arts and dance community, had an attitude of “what we have, we have to share”, and were an inspiration to those around them.

“These are people who are capable of doing great things when they have the energy and the means to do so,” he said.

Mrs Girardi said she hoped her story would give other women the confidence to ask questions of their doctors.

“There have been a lot of women who have lost their lives to (this condition) and there’s so many women who’re probably are in the same boat and don’t know,” she said.