BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Punam Krishan 'woke up days later' after birth took 'worrying turn'

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Dr Punam Krishan has spoken out about the traumatic birth of her first child in a bid to help other expectant mothers. The BBC Morning Live star, who also still works clinically, explained she had an 'uncomplicated pregnancy' but ended up in intensive care suffering anaphylaxis and sepsis due to significant blood loss.

The star, who is married to Sandesh Gulhane, a GP and Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament, revealed that she still becomes emotional when recalling the day. In addition to post-traumatic stress syndrome, she was also diagnosed with severe postnatal depression.

Earlier this year, she wrote in the iPaper: "On the day I went into labour in 2013, I had no reason to believe anything would go wrong. I was fit and well with an uncomplicated pregnancy. But the labour was long and took a worrying turn.

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"I was bleeding, the baby's heart rate began fluctuating dangerously and the pain became unbearable. When I asked for help, I was informed it was staff changeover time and I had to wait to be seen by a midwife.

"I'll never forget the vulnerability, anxiety and fear I felt, because not only did I have the medical knowledge to know that the symptoms I was experiencing were abnormal, but I was also panicking as a mother."

She added: "My baby was born needing paediatric intervention and I ended up in theatre, having lost a significant amount of blood. I required urgent surgery and was suffering from anaphylaxis and sepsis. I was unconscious and ended up intubated in intensive care, only to wake up days later attached to various machines, away from my baby and with a mess of a body."

The Strictly Come Dancing star went on to describe the experience as feeling like 'trauma', suggesting that even that term feels like 'an understatement'. Having spent a week recuperating in hospital, Punam disclosed there was a lack of aftercare once back home.

She spoke out in a bid to encourage improvements and advocating for enhanced postnatal support for mothers.