Pregnant woman suffers severe allergic reaction leaving baby luck to be alive

On Aug 16, 2022

An expectant mother nearly lost her unborn baby after suffering a life-threatening reaction to period pain medication.

Soraia Bonuar Gomes, 30, from Manchester, developed excruciating rashes across her entire body that burst and peeled, leaving her skin red raw.

She was rushed to hospital in September 2018 while eight weeks pregnant with daughter Reyven-Vallenty.

Ms Gomes had been prescribed anti-inflammatory and anti-sickness pills that June after struggling with severe menstruation symptoms for years.

The cleaner became pregnant in July and claims doctors did not tell her to stop taking the medication.

She spent a month in hospital where doctors told her the baby might not survive. But, against the odds, gave birth seven months later.

Soraia Bonuar Gomes, 30, from Manchester, was prescribed anti-inflammatory and anti-sickness pills in June 2019 after struggling with period pain for years. The cleaner became pregnant the following month and says doctors did not tell her to stop taking the medication. Pictured: Ms Gomes in hospital

The mother-of-three was rushed to hospital in September 2019 — eight weeks into her pregnancy — after she developed blisters all over her body which burst and peel (pictured). Doctors gave her high doses of pain relief and burst the bubbles. They warned Ms Gomes that she would likely lose her baby

Doctors gave Ms Gomes (pictured in hospital) a high doses of pain relief and burst the bubbles. They warned that she would likely lose her baby

But after a month under NHS care, Ms Gomes (pictured) was discharged and welcomed her daughter Reyven-Vallenty (pictured) seven months later

Ms Gomes, who has two other children, starting suffering extreme period pain after the birth of her first born, Denzel, in 2014.

She was prescribed naproxen and cyclizine by her GP in June 2019.

Naproxen is a anti-inflammatory drug used to treat pain, including menstrual cramps, back pain and osteoarthritis.

It is only recommended in pregnancy if medics decide its benefits outweigh the risks of interfering with the unborn baby’s circulation and amniotic fluid levels.

HOW CAN YOU DEVELOP AN ALLERGY DURING PREGNANCY?

Some women can develop new allergies during pregnancy.

And others who had mild allergies before may suffer more or less when pregnant.

Most of the changes are temporary and revert to normal once the baby is born.

It is thought to be caused by changing hormone levels and their impact on the immune system.

As the body adapts to allow for mother and baby to coexist, the response from the adaptive part of the immune system – which triggers antibody and T cell responses – is suppressed.

This is why pregnancy is considered as a form of immunodeficiency, because the immune system response is lessened.

Expectant mothers taking prescription medication are advised to keep taking it until they have spoken to their GP.

Cyclizine is taken to help with nausea. It is commonly prescribed for pregnancy sickness and there is no evidence it can harm an unborn baby.

But just a month after being prescribed the drug cocktail, Ms Gomes became pregnant.

She went to attend Manchester Hospital in September 2019, after small red marks appeared across her body.

Doctors believed it was chickenpox and discharged her after a four day hospital stay.

But later that night her legs became so weak she couldn’t walk and she developed blisters all over her body.

Ms Gomes said: ‘When I started reacting to the medicine, all of these bubbles appeared on my skin, like they were filled with water. It was very painful.’

She called an ambulance and was rushed to St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.

In hospital, her face swelled up and her blisters burst and peeled, leaving her in agony with raw and red skin.

She was transferred to Salford Royal Hospital where doctors treated her for a severe allergic reaction to her medication.

Doctors don’t know which drug caused the reaction, but they stopped both immediately and took blood tests, she said.

Ms Gomes said: ‘As soon as I was in hospital, I didn’t know if my baby would survive.’

She added: ‘I lost my vision, I couldn’t walk, I was just stuck in the bed for two months being fed through a drip.

‘It was so scary. All of my skin was burning all over my body.’

She added: ‘The doctors had to burst the bubbles so the fluid would come out. They had to put me to sleep, and they gave me lots of pain relief so I couldn’t feel what they were doing.

‘Every time that I woke up, the first thing that I would ask is how is my baby.

‘The doctors said I shouldn’t think about the baby as I could lose it and just worry about myself but I always worried about my baby. It was so scary.’

Ms Gomes said medics diagnosed her with a ‘potentially life-threatening skin condition’ as a result of her allergic reaction.

Pregnant women can suddenly develop new allergies during pregnancy, even if they have never suffered from them before.

She spent two weeks in the intensive care unit of Salford Hospital before being moved to a ward for another two weeks.

Doctors finally confirmed that her baby was going to survive.

Ms Gomes said hearing the news made her feel like her ‘world was going to be found’. However, she was left scared that she would lose her baby for the rest of her pregnancy.

But against the odds, Ms Gomes gave birth to healthy baby girl Reyven-Vallenty in March 2020 and couldn’t be happier.

She didn’t let the traumatising experience stop her dreams of a family and welcomed her third child, Allyson Ivenancya, now ten months old, last year.

She said: ‘I’m so happy now.’