David Colgan will never forget the day his son was born because it was the day he almost lost his wife, Kerri, who had developed pre-eclampsia and was gravely ill.

Pre-eclampsia is a common but serious pregnancy condition that can be fatal if untreated. Symptoms include high blood pressure, headaches, swelling of the hands and face, nausea and back or shoulder pain.

"Kerri was admitted to hospital because her blood pressure was very high," Dave recalls. "She continued to deteriorate and at 33 weeks pregnant underwent an emergency C-section."

"Nothing prepared me for the overwhelming feeling of fear and dread," says Kerri. "I was scared because I wanted the pregnancy to go further; to have the baby at a healthy weight. I was literally shaking with fear. If it wasn't for Dave, I don't know what state I would have been in.

"The OR was busy with lots of people running around. There was a team for me and a paediatric team for the baby. It was quite overwhelming. The birth happened very quickly. Connor was lifted out and he screamed. They lifted him up to show us his face and then took him to the other side of the room. In all the hustle and bustle, they forgot to tell us whether it was a boy or a girl, Dave had to call over to ask!"

Kerri barely had time to kiss Connor on his tiny forehead before they rushed him to ICU. "It was very upsetting, I still hadn't processed everything," she says. "I felt disorientated and confused. I missed him terribly so the nurse took a photo of him and brought it to me. All I had was a photo when I really wanted my baby with me. I had never envisioned this happening and I felt very let down."

"For most women, the symptoms of pre-eclampsia go away after the birth but Kerri's blood pressure continued to rise," Dave remembers. "It was terrifying. I knew I had to do something so I went to ICU and took video footage of Connor to show her. I wanted her to fight to get better for our son."

Kerri remembers it vividly. "Dave filmed Connor moving inside his incubator. I was completely mesmerised by this tiny little person -- our baby! It was only then I started to relax and calm down. I owe my life to Dave for that quick-thinking.."

Kerri recovered well after the birth and Connor was discharged a few weeks later. However, the next few months proved to be very challenging.

"Connor's first year was literally one thing after another with his health," Dave says. "After his premature birth, he developed meningitis at nine weeks. He was admitted to hospital where he needed a spinal tap and antibiotics. It was awful.

"On top of that, there were countless chest infections and just before his first birthday he contracted a virus that attacked his platelets. In that first year, we were always on our guard, watching for the slightest thing wrong and bringing him to the doctor straight away. We weren't able to relax at all."

Another worry for his parents was Connor's hearing, as Kerri is profoundly deaf. Dave says: "Although Kerri does not let being deaf hold her back in life, it was a relief to discover that Connor has full hearing."

Once Connor was over his spate of illnesses, Kerri suggested having another baby. Dave was less than enthusiastic. "I have two teenage daughters from a previous marriage, Ann-Marie and Caren, and after what we went through with Connor, I was reluctant. However, Kerri convinced me that it would be fine so we started trying."

Much to Kerri's dismay, she developed pre-eclampsia again.

"Because it was my second pregnancy, I was more relaxed and knew what to expect. This time around, my blood pressure was fine but the blood supply from the placenta to the baby had deteriorated, so Sophie had to be delivered by emergency C-section, too.

'The births were almost identical; each at 33 weeks with both babies weighing 2lbs 15ozs. When they took Sophie to ICU, I knew she was in the best possible hands. I was happy, especially as we now had a boy and a girl. Again, I was given a photo of Sophie and was regularly updated on her progress. I knew I would see her again soon, so the second birth was more enjoyable for me.

"But there will be no more babies for us. I have had enough hospital experience to last me a lifetime."

While Kerri was recovering, Dave spent some time with Sophie in ICU and it was there that he learned his little girl was deaf.

"A nurse dropped a tray and all the babies reacted, except Sophie. I knew then that she could not hear."

The couple wanted to give Sophie a chance at hearing so they looked into getting her a Cochlear Implant.

"When Sophie was 18 months old, the implant was fitted," Dave recalls. "She cried the first time she heard noises, as she had heard nothing up until then, but she got used to it quickly. Now, at two years of age, she can hear well and has started talking."

Kerri says: "Some deaf people find the implant controversial, but we know we made the right decision. Just looking at Sophie's amazing progress every day reassures us of that."

Recently Kerri was browsing through parenting website www.mumstown.ie when she noticed a competition for 'Birth Story of the Year'. Wanting to raise awareness of pre-eclampsia she entered her story -- and it's no surprise that she won.

She says: "I keep the trophy on the mantelpiece as a reminder of how lucky I am to have my wonderful children."

- Siobhan O'Neill White