An Erskine couple who suffered a tragic loss have helped launch a campaign for better maternity care in Scotland.

Stuart and Ami Geddes, whose son Clark had to be delivered at just 24 weeks after mum became life-threateningly ill with pre-eclampsia. Sadly, Clark passed away at only 12 days old.

Following on from this tragedy, the Geddes became involved in fundraising for UK charity Action on Pre-eclampsia (APEC), with Stuart recently completing his fourth consecutive London Marathon in support of the cause.

Now the couple and APEC are together launching Clark’s Campaign, an initiative to demand access to pre-eclampsia testing in Scotland for every pregnant woman who needs it.

Pre-eclampsia is a potentially devastating pregnancy complication that can prove fatal for mothers and babies if not identified early and carefully managed. It remains one of the two main causes of maternal death worldwide.

In Scotland, an estimated 5,260 pregnant people present with suspected pre-eclampsia every year.

Glasgow Times:

Clark’s Campaign is calling for the uptake of PlGF-based testing, a simple and cost-effective blood test that can identify and prevent problems at an early stage. Despite recommendations, PIGF-based testing is not yet available in Scotland - unlike in England, where it has been used in the NHS since 2016.

Stuart, Clark’s dad, is also APEC’s spokesperson for Scotland.

He said: “I’m so proud to launch Clark’s Campaign to demand better pre-eclampsia care in Scotland.

“I can’t help but wonder - if we’d been able to get an earlier pre-eclampsia diagnosis, would our wee boy still be alive today? I don’t want any other parents to have to ask themselves those questions.

“I often say that we’re a family of five - we’re just not all together right now. Clark’s Campaign will keep his memory alive and work to make PlGF-based testing more widely available so that others don’t have to go through the same traumatic experience that we did.”

Marcus Green, chief executive of Action on Pre-eclampsia, said: “It’s now been a year since the Scottish Health Technologies Group recommended the use of PlGF-based testing in every Health Board. But as things stand, clinicians are still making diagnoses in the dark and pregnant mums are still living with life-threatening uncertainty. Action is long overdue.

“We’re privileged to have Stuart leading Clark’s Campaign after the devastating loss he and his wife Ami suffered. Together, we’re calling on the Scottish Perinatal Network to support every health board to implement PlGF-based testing.

“This is about so much more than a test – it’s about keeping mothers and babies safe, by getting them the right diagnosis at the right time. It’s about the thousands of other families like the Geddes - and ensuring they get the care they deserve.”

To support the campaign, sign the petition here: https://action-on-pre-eclampsia.org.uk/clarks-campaign/