Mom almost killed by unborn baby's fingernail

(NEWS.com.au) — Born five weeks premature, twins Amelie and Ava only just made it into this world after being resuscitated with oxygen.

But they’re not the only ones who are lucky to be alive.

Their mother Angela Cottam almost died after a suspected fingernail or hair from one of them passed into her bloodstream during their birth.

The rare condition – which affects only one in 80,000 births – caused 32-year-old Mrs Cottam to suffer severe internal bleeding and her lungs collapsed.