what happened to louise thompson in birth
Louise Thompson, known from Made in Chelsea , endured a deeply traumatic birth experience with her son Leo in 2021 that nearly cost her life, leaving lasting physical and mental scars.
Birth Complications
She had planned for an elective C-section due to concerns, but NHS doctors discouraged it, pushing her toward a vaginal delivery. Leo's head became lodged in her pelvis during labor, forcing an emergency C-section. During surgery, her uterus ruptured, an artery was nicked, and she lost over three liters of blood while fully conscious, watching the chaos unfold—she later described feeling like she was "bleeding to death." Her newborn stopped breathing and was rushed to NICU, while Louise spent hours in a life-saving operation.
Just two days post-discharge, she suffered a massive hemorrhage at home, losing five liters of blood and arriving at the hospital "with minutes to spare," followed by weeks in intensive care.
Long-Term Health Impact
Pre-existing ulcerative colitis worsened dramatically from the trauma, leading to her colon's removal in 2024 and a permanent colostomy bag (stoma). She's tallied 12 liters of blood lost over ensuing years, endured multiple surgeries, and only marked a full year without emergencies by late 2025. Physically, she battles chronic pain, nerve damage, and fertility issues, ruling out future pregnancies.
Mental Health Struggles
The ordeal triggered severe PTSD, marked by flashbacks, dissociation, hypervigilance, and episodes of paralysis where she'd scream in bed, unable to move. She "can't remember" Leo's first five months, lost in a fog of trauma. Therapies like CBT and EMDR help manage it, but she views PTSD as lifelong, fueling post-traumatic growth amid ongoing triggers—like her now 4-year-old son asking about the birth.
Advocacy Efforts
Louise campaigns fiercely for maternity reforms, petitioning for a UK Maternity Commissioner to overhaul care standards and prevent similar horrors. In her 2024 memoir Lucky , she details the saga, emphasizing ignored warnings and systemic failures: "If I'd had the C-section I wanted... none of this would have happened." As of early 2026, she's sharing fears as Leo probes his origins, while celebrating stability after years of hell.
Public and Forum Reactions
- Fans praise her candor: "Louise's story is a wake-up call for better birth choices" (echoed in Reddit threads like r/doctorsUK).
- Critics question NHS resistance: Some forums buzz with "posh to push" stigma debates, others defend resource strains.
- Trending now: Her February 2026 interviews tie into petition drives, with Leo's questions adding emotional urgency.
"Everything in my life was destroyed by my birth." – Louise Thompson
TL;DR : Louise's 2021 birth spiraled from denied C-section to rupture, massive bleeds, PTSD, and stoma surgery—now she's advocating amid ongoing recovery.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.