‘Love of my life’: Heart-breaking death of pregnant mother could have been avoided, partner claims
A heart-broken father has spoken out about the shock death of his “beautiful, loving” fiancé who tragically died, along with their unborn son, after suffering complications during the final stages of her pregnancy.
Gemma Rane passed away on Sunday after her family made the difficult decision to switch off her life support after five days in hospital where she fought for her life.
Her heart-broken fiancé has asked why more wasn’t done by the hospital to prevent the tragedy.
Partner Chris Baker, confirmed to Yahoo7 that he will be asking the hospital why Ms Rane wasn’t monitored more closely and carefully during her second pregnancy.
But for now the heart-broken father of one is “just trying to get through the day”.
“She was the love of my life,” Mr Baker told Yahoo7 through his tears.
Ms Rane, a Sunshine Coast mother, woke up struggling to breath and eventually stopped breathing in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
She was 38 weeks’ pregnant at the time of the shocking medical emergency.
The pregnant mother’s breathlessness was a side effect of a heart condition she had called atrial fibrillation.
Her fiancé and partner of four year, Mr Baker, told Yahoo7 he attempted to perform CPR while he waited for an ambulance to arrive.
The 31-year-old mother was then rushed to Caboolture Hospital where she had an emergency caesarean, however, according to the heart-broken father, the baby was already gone.
In a bid to save her life Ms Rane was then flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for her own emergency surgery but attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.
“The baby was healthy,” Mr Baker told Yahoo7, maintaining that the pregnancy had been a good one.
Mr Baker confirmed to Yahoo7 that due to her medical condition “she used to get heart palpitations but she was on medication”.
The couple also have another child, 19 month old Chayse.
Baker also confirmed to Yahoo7 that during her first pregnancy with Chayse, the mother was “immediately referred to Royal Brisbane”, but during the second pregnancy the hospital “was not worried about her condition”.
He also maintains, “the hospital this time didn’t seem to bother them”.
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When asked about her final days in hospital an emotional Mr Baker recalled, “she was in the intensive car unit, and that’s where she stayed until we turned her life support off”.
“[The] majority of her brain had died, she wouldn’t be able to do anything for herself if she did survive,” he said fighting back tears.
A Go Fund Me page has been established by a neighbor to cover the funeral costs and also other expenses that the father of one will now face.
“I’m not sure when we will have the funeral as she is still with the Coroner,” he told Yahoo7.
“Gemma was loving, caring and would be a friend to pretty much anyone,” Mr Baker said.
Mr Baker confirmed to Yahoo7 that he will be asking the hospital why Ms Rane wasn’t monitored more closely and carefully during her second pregnancy.
But for now the heart-broken father of one is “just trying to get through the day”.
Ms Rane’s passing is the second pregnancy-related death in Queensland this month.
Earlier this month, mother Amanda Sheppard died at Rockhampton Hospital from what is believed to be an embolism.
Her daughter Willa survived, and her death is now also being investigated.
Yahoo7 reached out to Caboolture Hospital for comment.
News break – April 27
