AN OXFORDSHIRE mum forced to rely on a mobility scooter following vaginal mesh surgery has hit out at the practice, as new national guidelines caused outrage.

Margie Maguire, 42, believes surgery to treat a uteral prolapse could also be to blame for two miscarriages and she now fears she may never be able to have children again.

Mrs Maguire, who lives in Benson, near Wallingford, says she was not properly informed about the risks before the procedure, which following the birth of her now seven-year-old daughter.

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Mesh surgery – commonly given to woman facing post-birth problem – has been blamed for a host of graphic health issues in thousands of women nationwide, including intense pain, the loss of mobility and sex lives. The implants have reportedly cut into women’s bladders, bowels and vaginas.

But in guidelines released last week, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) listed mesh as one option for women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse - to the fury of campaigners.

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Mrs Maguire has since had surgery to remove most of the mesh and the pain attacks have subsided, but she remains reliant on a mobility scooter or wheelchair and home adaptations and cannot drive for more than half an hour without rest.

She explained: “It took me months to recover. I started suffering severe pain attacks. At one point, the pain was so bad that I asked my husband to knock me out. It affected my mobility – when I could walk around the hospital, it was by using a Zimmer frame. Mesh was still never discussed as a possibility for my pain.

Oxford Mail:

“There are so many things I miss doing, I used to run half marathons and go camping with my husband. I loved dancing and running around with my seven-year-old daughter, going to the gym, doing the gardening, and so much more.

“Mesh has taken all of this away from me.”

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She is working with Thompsons Solicitors, who represent hundreds of women in similar positions.

Lead lawyer Linda Millband said: “We’re incredibly concerned by the number of women and men across the country who have had their lives ruined as a result of these procedures.

"What’s become clear is that many of these people were never made aware of the risks of mesh, let alone provided less invasive alternatives."

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But Nice are standing by their advice. Dr Paul Chrisp, director for the centre for guidelines, said: “The (guidelines) will ensure every woman who is considering surgery for urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse has the best evidence currently available to inform her of the benefits and risks of each type of procedure."

Sling The Mesh's Kath Sansom said: "We are appalled that despite political campaigns and the obvious suffering of many women, these guidelines are no different from what was published in 2003.

"They are so weak, they clear the way for the next generation to be harmed. We told our stories and NICE ignored us."

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She continued: "NICE also ignored important scientific evidence showing mesh risk is at least 1 in 10 suffering, by deliberately omitting a key study of NHS figures.

"Our Sling The Mesh survey shows 1 in 20 women have attempted suicide and more than half have regular suicidal thoughts because of chronic pain, loss of sex life, constant infections and auto immune disease.

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"These are unacceptable risks from what is sold to women as a simple fix. If a men's operation was creating this level of harm it would have been stopped a long time ago."

Oxford University's Carl Heneghan, Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine and Director, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, added: "20 years after mesh was first introduced there are still considerable shortcomings in the evidence base: the quality of evidence for complication is weak and mostly lacking. A registry of all those who have had mesh inserted might be a better idea, and go some way to reducing the current uncertainties about the long term complications.