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Ashlee Neutze gave birth to her second child, a 3.91 kilogram baby boy at the Royal in September. Dustin, or “Dusty” as he would quickly be called, is a brother to his 20-month-old sister Delilah, also born at The Royal.
“It was such a fast labour after what seemed like an endless pregnancy,” she said. “I felt like I was constantly in hospital.”
The latter was for good reason.
Ashlee had pre-eclampsia with Delilah, a potentially life-threatening condition to both mother and baby, caused by high blood pressure.
Dr Sandra Lowe AM, a physician specialising in complications at The Royal, assessed Ashlee as having a high risk of the condition re-occurring with her second baby. She recommended Ashlee come into The Royal’s antenatal clinic for regular monitoring after she was 26 weeks pregnant.
Once a week, Ashlee would have her blood pressure, and the protein levels in her urine carefully checked. Dr Lowe predicted the condition would likely re-occur but later in this second pregnancy. She was correct. Within days of her hitting 37 weeks, all the warning signs were there.