Our campaign to cut stillbirths

Alex and Emma Pheby with their son Elliot.

03 August 2007 11:22

A couple left heartbroken after the mysterious death of their baby daughter have called on the Government to help prevent further deaths - and have started a national petition for more money to investigate why it happens.

Emma and Alex Pheby did not know there were any complications with baby Xanthe until she was stillborn. Doctors then told them she had died just eight hours before.

Mr and Mrs Pheby, from Bowthorpe, have been left devastated, as well as baffled, by the death of their second child because the pregnancy was problem-free and “low risk”.

The couple said they did everything they possibly could to ensure they had a healthy baby but today said more money needs to be pumped into why so many happen, with one in 200 pregnancies resulting in a stillbirth.

Now they have set up a campaign asking the government to give more funding into researching unexplained stillbirths which affect a staggering one in 200 pregnancies.

Mrs Pheby, 34, said: “No one knows why Xanthe died. I had a smooth pregnancy and various scans the way through which all came back normal with absolutely no problems.

“When I gave birth I had seen the midwife just two days before and everything was fine. I was at 40 weeks but I went into labour quickly.

“We did not even know Xanthe was dead until she was born. She weighed 8ib 3oz and was so nearly with us.

“We have obviously been grieving and, in trying to deal with that grief, found out a lot about stillbirths. We realised there was very little funding for research into the deaths which are very common and this is what our campaign is about.

“It was totally devastating to have our daughter taken away like that.”

Xanthe had died just hours before she was stillborn at their home on 1.25am on April 4.

Mrs Pheby ate a healthy organic diet while pregnant, took specially formulated multi-vitamins with folic acid, avoided smoky places and drank no alcohol or caffeine.

The couple even described themselves as “over-cautious” during the pregnancy - doing all the things they read to help ensure they had a healthy baby.

Mrs Pheby is a trained solicitor and Mr Pheby is studying for a PhD at the UEA. They also have a two-year-old son called Elliot.

Since Xanthe's death they have researched stillbirths and discovered how common they are. After her death they spent 12 hours with her and faced every parents' nightmare when they had to register her stillbirth. They then had to organise her burial and see funeral directors.

Mrs Pheby said: “Stillbirth devastates families. Yet it is historically underfunded and misunderstood. I carried Xanthe carefully for nine happy months (feeling her move and seeing her grow on scans) and had I gone into labour just 24 hours before she would probably be here with us now.

“I went through a natural labour and then was told she had died for no identifiable reason just a few hours before. The UK does such little research into this - despite some of the major organisations identifying that research is desperately needed.

“We feel compelled to launch the campaign as although it won't bring Xanthe back we feel it is tremendously important to do what we can to prevent this happening to others and to do something positive in our daughter's name.”

The couple's dream is for a centre to be built to investigate the deaths - inspired by Gordon Brown's actions in setting up a fund to help mothers after the Prime Minister's daughter Jennifer Jane died in January 2002 after she was born prematurely weighing only 2lb 4oz.

The couple's website www.xanthepheby.co.uk includes a petition asking the government to provide more funding for research into unexplained stillbirths as well as extensive information on stillbirths and published research.

The couple have also written to Norwich South MP Charles Clarke asking for intervention in how the government deals with stillbirths and are urging other people to write to MPs to lobby for more money for research.

Katie Duff, spokeswoman for Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, which supports anyone affected by the death of a baby and promotes research to reduce the loss of babies' lives.

She said: “As a parent-led organisation, Sands welcomes anything that brings to the public's attention the 500 babies a year that die during labour.

“We particularly welcome any recommendations to try and reduce the number of babies dying during labour and the research proposed to study the group of babies whose cause of death during labour was unexplained.

“Without this further research to understand why babies are dying it is difficult to see how rates can be significantly reduced.

If you would like to join the Pheby's campaign, sign the petition or get some more information on stillbirths log onto www.xanthepheby.co.uk or for more information on stillbirths log onto www.stillbirthresearch.co.uk

Do you have a health story for the Evening News? Call Sarah Hall on 01603 772426 or email sarah.hall2@archant.co.uk

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