Erin Bates Hospitalized in Intensive Care With Septic Shock After ‘Intense’ Labor for Seventh Child
The Bringing Up Bates star was admitted to an ICU shortly after a prolonged labor, her husband said, as family and fans sent prayers for her recovery.
Erin Bates, 34, was admitted to an intensive care unit with septic shock shortly after an "intense" labor that produced her seventh child, her husband said Monday.
"Her labor was longer and more intense than previous births," Chad Paine, 38, wrote on Instagram. "She has been fighting through it and has been such a light and sweet testimony of grace to nurses, staff, and doctors alike." Paine said the newborn is a "miracle" son; Bates and Paine did not provide further medical details in the post.
Bates, who starred with her large family on UPtv's Bringing Up Bates until the series was canceled in 2022, is one of 19 children of Gil and Kelly Jo Bates. The Bates family has longstanding ties to the Duggar family, another large conservative religious family featured in reality television, whose controversies were examined in the Amazon Prime Video series "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets."
Friends, family and followers responded to the Instagram post with messages of concern and prayer. Paine's post described his wife's condition as developing "shortly after" the birth, but did not specify when she entered the ICU or how her condition has evolved since his update.
Septic shock is a severe, life-threatening condition that can develop when an infection triggers a widespread inflammatory response, causing a sharp drop in blood pressure and potential organ dysfunction. Treatment typically involves prompt administration of antibiotics, intravenous fluids and supportive care in an intensive care unit. Physicians often monitor patients closely for signs of organ failure and may use medications to support blood pressure and breathing as needed.
Bates has previously spoken publicly about reproductive challenges. In a 2015 interview with People, she said she had experienced several miscarriages caused by blood-clotting issues and described the losses as "one of the hardest things" she had endured. The family and their supporters did not indicate whether those prior conditions were related to her current illness.
At the time of the update from Paine, no further medical information or a hospital statement had been released. The couple has not posted additional details about Bates' prognosis, treatment timeline or the newborn's condition beyond describing him as a "miracle" son.
The family rose to public attention through reality television that documented their conservative faith and large household. Bates' hospitalization follows a pattern in which births and postpartum complications among public figures draw attention and prompt public concern; medical professionals advise that postpartum infections, though uncommon, require immediate care.
As of the latest update, the family has asked for privacy while Bates receives care. Reporters and readers will await any further statements from the family or medical providers for specifics about her recovery and the newborn's health.