Narrogin’s Helen Jarvis and baby Theo reunited with the medical staff who aided in rare life-saving procedure

A Narrogin first-time mother was reunited with the medical staff who helped her and her unborn son survive with a rare life-saving procedure. Helen Jarvis introduced her baby boy Theo on October 29 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and King Edward Memorial Hospital crew who gave Theo a life-saving fetal blood transfusion in February. Ms Jarvis said it was a delightful meeting with the medical crews. “It was lovely to be able to thank them and meet in more positive circumstances,” she said. “Without a flying doctor we’re not sure Theo would be here at all. “It was 40 minutes rather than two and a half hours, which is a long time in the sense of medical emergencies.” At 32 weeks pregnant, Ms Jarvis was kicked in the stomach while feeding a foal at the horse stud where she works and rushed to Narrogin Health Service by her boss on February 20. Hospital scans revealed the foal struck her placenta and the baby’s head, causing distress and 25 per cent loss of the fetus’s blood volume. Narrogin medical staff considered an emergency caesarean, but the RFDS voted against the decision as the hospital did not have the necessary assets for a seven-week premature baby and the procedure would have predisposed Theo to life-altering health complications. RFDS medical practitioner Theo De Vries, who coincidentally shares a name with the now eight-month-old, said KEMH’s obstetrician Scott White pitched the life-saving procedure. “Dr White knew a special procedure that only happens two or three times a year which is performing a blood transfusion for the baby while it stayed in the womb,” he said. “We heard there was a helicopter coming from our previous task with a nurse on board, so in almost 15 minutes all our thoughts and ideas came together. “We all just ran and jumped on the chopper and headed straight for Narrogin.” Dr De Vries monitored Ms Jarvis throughout the 40-minute flight from Narrogin to Perth Children’s Hospital’s helipad rooftop where she was transported via ambulance to King Edward. Once they’d arrived, Dr White calculated the amount of blood required using an ultrasound. Theo received about 18ml of blood and further scans showed he was no longer in distress. Ms Jarvis returned home to her partner Stefan Hickman after a week and delivered Theo about seven weeks later. Dr De Vries said he was privileged to be part of the RFDS. “We’ve changed the outcome for this baby’s life, long term,” he said. “Meeting Helen again and little Theo six months later and seeing the effect that I have on their lives — it is quite a joy.” Ms Jarvis said Theo is healthy, thriving and “smashing his milestones”.