A LONG term renal patient at Russells Hall Hospital is celebrating the birth of her miracle baby, after becoming the first woman in twenty years to give birth at the Trust while on dialysis.

Ellie Pierce-Oliver, aged 28, had already undergone two kidney transplants when she found out she she was pregnant- a discovery she said was a 'huge shock' after years of receiving dialysis.

Her pregnancy remarkably beat the odds as only between one and seven percent of women of childbearing age on dialysis can get pregnant.

Brave Ellie, who was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome aged 14-years-old, received dialysis six days a week in the final five months of her pregnancy at the renal unit at Russells Hall Hospital.

Following weeks of gruelling treatment, Ellie’s daughter Nicci arrived safely by caesarian section on August 2, weighing 4lbs 12oz.

Ellie, who lives in Lye with partner Daniel, said: “It was a shock and a surprise and everything that goes with it. They said I couldn’t have a baby at all.

“I have proved them all wrong, she’s my miracle baby.”

Nicci’s safe arrival was celebrated by the renal team at Russells Hall Hospital, who held a baby shower party for the new parents and much-longed for Nicci.

The party on August 12 saw Ellie's room filled with presents and balloons to celebrate little Nicci's miracle arrival.

Ellie said: “Dan is getting the hang of it, I was proud of him when he changed her nappy for the first time.”

"Nicci is doing really well."

Bobbie Bedford, haemodialysis lead nurse, said: “Kidney disease usually makes women infertile so it is very rare to get pregnant, and even more so to have a healthy baby.

“We stepped up Ellie’s dialysis from three times a week to six times, for three hours at a time, and got specialist advice from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. She had to go there every four weeks and they wanted her to have the baby there, but she was adamant she would be born here.

“It has meant five months of sleepless nights for us because we were all so desperate for everything to go well. In the end Nikki was born on my birthday!

“It is the first time in more than 20 years that this has happened at our Trust.”