19-05-2025
Perth mum's scary ordeal after ‘rare' pregnancy diagnosis
A rare and potentially-deadly pregnancy complication is on the rise across the country — and top doctors say it is because caesarean sections are being carried out more regularly.
For one Perth family, it almost cost a mother and baby their lives.
Emily and Tyron Lopes gave birth to their healthy and happy daughter Lilly seven weeks ago.
But just days before she was born — Ms Lopes was preparing her two young sons for a world without their mother.
A 20-week scan revealed the 34-year-old was in the early stages of a rare pregnancy condition called placenta accreta.
The condition is caused when the placenta embeds too deeply into the wall of the uterus, threatening to invade other organs, including the bladder and bowel.
A joyous time for the Lopes family quickly turned to life or death.
'I woke up and I wrote a note to the boys and I said 'I love you and I'll see you soon' and I didn't know whether I would,' she said. Emily Lopes had a rare pregnancy condition called Placenta Accreta. Credit: 7NEWS / 7NEWS
'I was terrified I wouldn't make it to the other side to be the mum to my two boys and meet my baby girl.'
Ms Lopes had originally planned to deliver baby Lilly at King Edward Memorial Hospital but the surgery was so complex, the decision was made to move here to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital instead.
That meant Ms Lopes had easier access to other specialists, and in the end, five different surgical teams were involved in the operation.
Ms Lopes was on the operating table for a marathon seven hours.
She was able to hold her newborn baby girl for mere minutes before being placed under anesthesia for a hysterectomy. The mother and daughter were then separated for four days.
'Seeing the person I love going through so much, deliver this beautiful baby girl then go under for a surgery that had unknown outcome was really difficult,' Mr Lopes said.
'The concept of raising three children without you was the most terrifying bit of it all and I'm so thankful for the surgical team.'
Fertility doctor Mathias Epee said the disease was 'very scary' but 'very rare'.
King Edward Memorial typically treats seven to 12 women a year — but the hospital recorded 24 cases last year alone.
'We know that it's a worldwide problem that is significantly linked to the increase of C-sections in the community,' Dr Epee said.
Ms Lopes delivered her two sons, Beau and Hugo, via C-section — never knowing the risks.
