TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains information about suicide, which may be triggering to some.
When Jess Cronshaw learned she was expecting her first child, the news thrilled her. But as her pregnancy progressed, the mom-to-be’s morning sickness worsened. Doctors diagnosed 26-year-old Jess Cronshaw with hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The illness became too much for the woman to bear, and she died by suicide at 28 weeks pregnant. Doctors delivered her baby girl, Elsie, via emergency C-section, but sadly, the infant died days later. Now, Jess Cronshaw’s mother wants to speak her truth.
Susan Cronshaw spoke to ITV for the first time since the death of her daughter and granddaughter in 2022. She said her daughter felt sick and helpless.
“I wouldn’t want anybody to feel how Jess did, she felt like no one was listening, and they weren’t. It felt like you were just pushed from pillar to post. There was nobody taking it and being in charge of it,” Susan Cronshaw said.
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Because Jess felt so physically sick, her mental health suffered. Her mother said she saw a host of medical professionals during her pregnancy, but they apparently didn’t recognize just how sick Jess had become.
According to ITV, Jess took medication to help with her symptoms. Someone at Royal Blackburn Hospital allegedly told her to stop taking it because it could harm her unborn baby. The pregnant woman reportedly weaned herself off the medication. A short time later, her symptoms came back so strongly she could no longer handle it.
A 2024 inquest into Jess’ and baby Elsie’s deaths determined that failings in the mom-to-be’s health care caused her mental health to deteriorate, ultimately leading to her death.
“That’s all it would have [taken], one individual to do something for Jess, and it would have changed the outcome altogether. I know that, and I live with that,” Susan Cronshaw said.
Peter Murphy, chief nurse at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, told ITV, “We are so sorry we failed Jessica and Elsie when they needed our care.We completely accept the recommendations and all issues highlighted during the inquest and have taken action.”
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Steffi Scott-Miller created a fundraiser in memory of Jess and Elsie and to raise awareness of hyperemesis gravidarum.
“We are raising money and funds for the UKs only registered charity Pregnancy Sickness Support who support women who are suffering from the debilitating condition Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG),” the description reads in part. “They provide amazing and vital support to the approximate 3% of women who are affected by HG and are often a lifeline for sufferers.”
A donor wrote, “I’m so heartbroken to hear this story and am sending so much love to your family. I suffered from extreme nausea and vomiting in all my pregnancies, no woman should suffer this. All my love xx.”
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
