6 Weeks After Giving Birth Mom Came Back Because She Felt ‘weird’

Kent, UK — What began as a joyful homecoming for new mother Leanne Smith turned into a harrowing medical nightmare, ending in a rare and aggressive cancer diagnosis just weeks after giving birth.

Leanne, 38, had recently welcomed her fourth child, a baby boy named Louie. The delivery, while difficult, ended with mother and baby being discharged from hospital in stable condition. But within days of returning home, Leanne began experiencing persistent bleeding and a strange sense of physical weakness.

Initially brushing it off as typical postpartum symptoms, she ignored the warning signs until the bleeding intensified. Her husband, Andrew, rushed her back to the hospital, where doctors conducted tests and performed an emergency procedure. They discovered a retained piece of placenta lodged in her uterus. After surgery, Leanne returned home, hopeful that her ordeal was over.

But the symptoms returned—this time worse. A second round of tests delivered a shocking revelation: Leanne had unknowingly been carrying twins. The second fetus, a nonviable embryo, had developed as a molar pregnancy, a rare condition in which abnormal tissue grows in the uterus instead of a healthy embryo.

Even more devastating, the molar pregnancy had developed into choriocarcinoma, an aggressive form of uterine cancer. The cancer had already spread to Leanne’s lungs and posed a serious threat to her life. “It was like being hit by a train,” she later said. “I went in thinking something minor was wrong, and came out with cancer.”

Doctors began emergency chemotherapy that same day. Leanne underwent 20 blood transfusions and endured intensive treatment, all while caring for her newborn son and three daughters. Her survival was uncertain for weeks.

Despite a near-fatal blood clot in her lung mid-treatment, Leanne eventually showed signs of recovery. After a month in hospital, she was declared in remission.

Today, Leanne credits her survival to her children and the unwavering support of her husband. She shared her story publicly to raise awareness about rare pregnancy complications. “Louie’s twin almost killed us both,” she said, “but if I had to choose, I’d go through it all again for him.”

Her extraordinary story has inspired thousands online and drawn attention to the silent dangers some women face during and after childbirth.