‘Gamble no pregnant woman should have to take’: Mum’s impossible choice

At 8 weeks pregnant, Anna Fenton was faced with an awful decision that she had no idea would ultimately save her from an early grave.

A woman who suffered a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy has revealed the split-second decision she believes saved her from an early grave.

Anna Fenton was 8-weeks pregnant when she began experiencing extreme stabbing pains in her stomach as well as bloating and a “strange” sensation in her shoulder.

She presented at Muswellbrook Hospital, where it was suspected she had gastro, but her instinct told her it was something else.

As a result, Anna was faced with an impossible choice.

Go home, or drive nearly 2 hours to another hospital and get a second opinion.

The 38-year-old chose the latter, and she believes the decision saved her husband Brad and their three boys from being left without a mother and wife.

Anna Fenton was 8-weeks pregnant when she developed stomach pains in the early hours of the morning. Picture: Supplied

“As soon as I listed off my symptoms to a nurse at Maitland, she immediately knew there was a problem with my pregnancy,” she told news.com.au.

“They got me straight up for an ultrasound, and discovered my fallopian tube had burst, and I was rushed into surgery.

“It was devastating to know I was losing my baby, but even worse to think I could have died if I’d just gone home.”

By the time Anna had made it to Maitland from her home in Aberdeen, she had been struggling with her agonising symptoms for over 10 hours.

And she feels the situation could have been handled better if her local hospital, located 15 minutes from her home, had the basic equipment it needs to assess a pregnant woman’s body.

Muswellbrook Hospital stopped offering birthing services in 2022 due to rising costs, specialist staff shortages and declining birthrates.

Ultrasound services are available during business hours, but with Anna arriving at about 5am during the Christmas season in 2023, these weren’t available to her.

The result could have been “catastrophic”, she said.

Hunter New England Local Health District said that it “acknowledged the distress” Anna experienced as a result of NSW’s network maternity services, stating the region has faced “maternity workforce challenges”.

“Pregnant women from Muswellbrook typically plan to give birth at Scone (27km) or Singleton (50km) hospitals, while those requiring a higher level of care travel to Maitland and John Hunter hospitals,” a Hunter New England Local Health District spokesperson told news.com.au.

“As with all emergency departments, patients who present to Muswellbrook Hospital are assessed by our dedicated staff and provided with appropriate care, whether through admission discharge, or transfer to another facility within the network, better equipped to meet their needs.”

The 38-year-old was diagnosed with gastro, but she later discovered she had an ectopic pregnancy. Picture: Supplied

At Maitland, Anna had an operation to remove her affected fallopian tube. She spent 10 days in total recovering from the surgery.

“Doctors told me after that I was ‘lucky’, but this isn’t a gamble any woman should have to take while pregnant,” she said.

“Having to be so far away from my family while dealing with such a devastating loss also took a huge toll on me.”

It’s awful birthing and pregnancy stories like Anna’s that have left many women in the community feeling let down by the system and prompted the Bush Babies Campaign, a government aimed petition calling for an inquiry into declining maternity services in rural and regional NSW as well as urgent funding to address critical issues.

But the issue is far more widespread, with maternity wards and units across the country suffering similar fates.

The closure of local maternity wards has also spawned a dramatic increase in roadside births as pregnant women forced to attend centralised services travel hundreds of kilometres across “maternity deserts” to give birth.

Hunter New England Local Health District defended NSW’s network maternity services, stating the system is in place due to “maternity workforce challenges”.

“A woman’s birth plan is constantly reviewed and updated throughout the

pregnancy, ensuring that recommendations and decisions are always made in the best interest of both the woman and her baby,” the spokesperson said.

“However, sometimes these plans change – whether due to the need for specialist care, unexpected workforce shortages, or other unforeseen circumstances.

“When this happens, we acknowledge how disruptive it can be, especially if the location of the birth needs to change, and we sincerely apologise to any women who have experienced this.”

The mum-of-three said the centralised maternity services in rural NSW are letting women down. Picture: Supplied

These “terrifying” birthing conditions, and stressful pregnancy environments, are often long-lasting, Anna explained.

“My husband and I were keen to try again for a baby, but for months, I was genuinely scared,” she said.

“When I fell pregnant in May 2024, I was diagnosed with peri-natal anxiety and depression, because I was terrified about what would happen if there were complications again.

“No woman should feel abandoned during their most vulnerable time, but that’s exactly how it felt. It’s an impossible situation.”

During the pregnancy with her youngest son Cooper, who was born in February, the couple had no choice but to travel back to Maitland for many of their prenatal appointments, which she pointed out was incredibly costly.

“Fuel cost over $2 a litre at the time, and we both had to take a day off work. The financial implications are huge,” she explained.

“It’s mind-boggling to me that women have to endure such dire conditions just to bring a baby into the world.

“We deserve better.”

Originally published as ‘Gamble no pregnant woman should have to take’: Mum’s impossible choice