The family of Charlene Wakley, a 24-year-old from Honiton, Devon, are enduring 'unbearable' grief following her death and that of her unborn child from a pulmonary embolism. They firmly believe that increased monitoring during her severe pregnancy sickness could have prevented the tragedy, which occurred five years ago.
Charlene was admitted to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital three times in early 2021, suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) – an extreme form of pregnancy sickness that left her severely dehydrated and immobile. Just days after her third hospital admission, she collapsed at home, struggling to breathe. Despite emergency services rushing her to hospital, medics were unable to save her. A post-mortem examination later confirmed she had died from a blood clot that had travelled from her leg to her lungs.
Her father, Adrian Wakley, has visited her graveside every night for the past five years, a testament to the profound loss experienced by the family. Charlene's older sister, Margaret Wakley, described her sister's joy at discovering she was pregnant, having always dreamed of starting her own family. However, the pregnancy quickly became challenging due to her debilitating illness.
Following Charlene's death, an investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), now known as the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, highlighted that the hospital had not fully understood the impact of her severe sickness. Crucially, it found there was no acknowledgement of the thromboembolic risks – the likelihood of developing dangerous blood clots – associated with her condition. The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has since apologised to the family, admitting that Charlene's care 'was not always of the appropriate standard' and stating it has taken 'action to address the issues identified and to strengthen the quality of our services'.
This heartbreaking case also sheds light on a concerning national trend. Research from the University of Oxford's MBRRACE-UK project indicates that blood clots are the leading cause of maternal deaths in the UK for women up to six weeks postpartum. The project's findings suggest a 50% rise in the UK's maternal death rate over the last decade, increasing from 8.54 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies in 2013 to 12.80 in 2023. Kim Thomas from the Birth Trauma Association, an organisation campaigning for improved maternity care, echoed these concerns, stating that Charlene's severe pregnancy sickness should 'certainly have been monitored' for such risks.
The family's ongoing struggle for answers and accountability underscores the critical need for comprehensive understanding and management of pregnancy-related complications, particularly conditions like hyperemesis gravidarum and their associated risks, to prevent similar tragedies in the future.