Pregnant Tina Hobley wary of hospitals following MRSA

Four years ago, 35-year-old Tina Hobley had the scare of her life when treatment she received for a broken wrist led to a bout with the deadly hospital superbug MRSA.  The incident, which left her in danger of losing the use of her arm, also left her with a lingering, palpable fear of hospitals.  Its a fear that Tina says she’s being forced to deal with now as she prepares herself for the arrival of her second child in "a matter of days," the UK’s Daily Mail reports.  MRSA, a staph infection that eats away at skin and muscle tissue, was "incredibly painful, and I have a high pain threshold," Tina says.

It’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt, far worse than giving birth.

Tina adds that her husband, Oliver Wheeler, is "very worried" about her upcoming hospitalization.  To help alleviate their collective anxiety, Tina says she’s focusing on preparing for the baby, which will join Tina’s 8-year-old daughter Isabella at home.

I’m keeping busy, getting things ready for the baby…I try not to think about [MRSA] too much, but it’s always there, at the back of my mind.

Source:  Daily Mail

Comments

My daughter was hospitalized last year for MRSA when she was 6months old. It was terrifying.

- Christine on April 13th, 2008

thats just awful, I wonder why she hasn’t considered a home delivery, might take some of that anxiety away.

- Ivey on April 13th, 2008

Have a homebirth. They are fairly common in the UK anyway.

- Megan on April 13th, 2008

LILKUNTA, DO NOT POST COMMENTS FROM ‘lk’

MSRA is horrible. I understand hre being scared of hospitals.

Rosie had MSRA right?

- lk on April 13th, 2008

I’m pretty certain she hasn’t opted for a homebirth because she had an emergency C-section with her first child.

- Rachel on April 13th, 2008

If she did have a c/s the first time around, I wonder why she didn’t plan a HBAC this time…you couldn’t pay me to deliver my baby in the hospital after knowing how I was treated last time–and I didn’t contract MRSA. Add MRSA into the mix…eek. That is just scary!

- Angela on April 13th, 2008

Given her previous MRSA infection, she’ll probably be given prophylactic antibiotics while hospitalized. Most British hospitals have recently undergone deep cleanings in an effort to stem MRSA and other infections. However, I can certainly understand her worry and wish her all the best. Make everyone who comes in contact with you and the baby wash their hands, Tina!

- madam pince on April 13th, 2008

I don’t blame her for worrying. Two of my relatives have recently contracted MRSA whilst in hospital here in the UK.

I was in hospital for less than five hours from start to finish with my daughter, and cleanliness (or lack thereof) was one of the main reasons!

I wish Tina the best of luck and hope that all the worrying doesn’t spoil her birth experience too much.

- ruthella on April 13th, 2008

angela,im very much for homebirth myself-in fact,my sons birth was unassisted!! but i have to say,i thought maybe since hers was an emergency c-section,they may have even used a vertical cut..in which case i think even i would be farrrr more likely to accept a second section,you know??

and hospitals freak me out. i had surgery 1.4 years ago plus a second procedure. because of my gallbladder,i almost died. tons of fun :p and mrsa freaks me out,too. i had a friend who died when she was 14,i was 16. it was due to toxic shock syndrome,following a tiny cut on her hand,but anything that attacks cuts….makes me not a happy person,so i can totally understand her fear :/ im glad to hear tina got better,and sorry to hear of her pain she had to endure. i pray all goes well with the birth of her wee one!! NO more mrsa

- M on April 13th, 2008

meybe she should cosider a homebirth providing all is well

- sarah on April 13th, 2008

MRSA is simply staph aureus (a bacteria that naturally lives on everyone’s skin) which is resistant to penicillin antibiotics (methicillin resistant staph aureus). The danger is when, in a setting like a hospital, it winds up somewhere besides the skin (lungs, urinary tract, wound) and is more difficult to treat because of this resistance. However, there are several drugs to which it is typically still susceptible (vancomycin, linezolid, etc.). It is not generally “a staph infection that eats away at skin and muscle tissue.” Many people are colonized with the bug with no ill effects. I’m a nurse, and I hate to see this misinformation that can scare people away from hospitals. I’ve taken care of many MANY people with MRSA, none with that particular experience. It can happen, but it’s not typical.

- Jenna on April 13th, 2008

Jenna, can MRSA be cured in a healthy person? I am scared to even take my children to the Dr.’s office.

- jen on April 14th, 2008

jen- I am by no means a medical professional or an expert on MRSA, but from what I’ve read it, it sounds like MRSA in a healthy person can be cured the majority of the time.

That said, I agree with the commentors who said that the reason she is not doing a homebirth could very well be due to the fact that she had an emergency c/s last time around. Like one commentor pointed out, they may have made a “classic” (vertical) incision. The risk of uterine rupture is the highest when you’ve had that types of incisions.

Even if she had the much more common “bikini” (horizontal) cut for her c/s, she still may not want to take the risk of having a uterine rupture. From what I’ve read, with a “bikini” cut, the risk is only 1 percent, if that, but for some people, even that is too much.

- CelebBabyLover on April 14th, 2008