Mum-of-three wakes from coronavirus coma to find out she is pregnant with twins

A pregnant mum-of-three has woken from a coronavirus induced coma to find she is expecting twins.

Danielle Martin, 32, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, was left fighting for her life when she was rushed to hospital while nine weeks pregnant and diagnosed with Covid-19.

But the ‘living nightmare’ later turned to joy when doctors revealed that she and partner Bryan, 32, are expecting not one, but two babies.

The stay-at-home mum’s illness began with a sore throat, which turned into a bad chest. However, she was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with severe pneumonia on March 30 after feeling like she ‘could barely breath’.

She said: 

It felt like I was suffocating so Bryan decided to call an ambulance who came within five minutes and took me away – I was terrified. I felt bad leaving my boys but I knew it was for the best – they did scans and diagnosed me with severe pneumonia.

I was put on a ventilator which helped and I was managing – I was struggling to breath and talk – it was terrifying.

When Danielle’s oxygen levels dropped overnight, doctors had no choice but to put her into an induced coma.

Medics rang Bryan to tell him his wife was spotting and it was highly unlikely their baby would survive as it was still early in the pregnancy.

Bryan, who works as a security guard, said: 

It is crazy how quick things can take a turn for the worse – one day Danielle was sending me photos telling me about the toast she is eating in hospital and then the next she is in ICU. The doctor rang to say her oxygen had dropped and she’s been put into an induced coma – I was devastated and worried sick.

It was so hard trying to explain to our sons Jaiden, nine, Parker, three and Joshua, two, where mummy is as they had watched her go in the ambulance from the window. I had to put on a brave face and reassure them she will be fine and be home in no time.

The hospital rang me daily with updates but it was always up and down – one day it would be good news and the next bad. I was hoping she would pull through with all my heart.

After ten days in an induced coma, Danielle was left in ‘disbelief’ when she awoke and was told she was expecting twins.

She said: 

I woke up feeling very confused an agitated from the coma but once I had came round, I was extremely grateful. I was in disbelief when they told me about the twins – it was the cherry on top of the cake knowing I had beat coronavirus and have twins on the way!

It is a random way to find out you’re expecting two babies but at least we will be able to remember something good about this horrible time.

Bryan added: 

Once she was out of ICU and on a ward, she rang me to tell me both babies are fine – I was like “both?” at first I thought maybe she is still a little confused from everything she had been through. But when she said twins, I was so happy and grinning from ear to ear.

The mum-of-three, who hadn’t been outside for ten days prior to catching coronavirus, says she feels ‘incredibly lucky’ to have survived and is warning others to stay at home as it ‘could happen to anyone.’

Bryan has set up a fundraiser to raise money for the NHS staff at Belfast’s Nightingale hospital after they saved his partner and unborn babies.