Sunday, July 8, 2012

Two babies die - but 'normal birth' is achieved

This week, two separate stories appeared in the news describing the devastating loss of babies and their parents' anger at the maternity care they received. An inquest recalled a verdict of natural causes in the first report (below) and an investigation is pending in the second, but I think it's fair to say that both examples demonstrate that no matter how 'low risk' a pregnancy first seems, all pregnancies and births are inherently risky, and a mothers' instinct that her risk has escalated deserves due attention.

(July 3, 2012 Kingston News) Heartbroken mother whose baby died at Kingston Hospital 'denied Caesarean section'
"Baby Tallula Braithwaite, who was 11 days overdue, died after a 36-minute resuscitation attempt by doctors at Kingston Hospital... Days before, mother Amanda Braithwaite... had pleaded with doctors for a Caesarean after she felt something was wrong and feared for her baby’s health."
"...Coroner doctor Sean Cummings recorded a verdict of natural causes after hearing how the baby, assessed as low risk, may have died due to an amniotic fluid infection in the womb or even oxygen deprivation during childbirth, the inquest heard.

(July 5, 2012 Daily Mail) Devastated couple blame NHS budget cuts for death of their baby boy after doctors refused to deliver him on the weekend
"Scan revealed problem with blood supply between mother and unborn son"
"Couple say doctors told them they didn't induce babies on the weekend"
"Miss Hurley then had to return to the hospital where she gave birth to her stillborn son..."

1 comment:

Mrs. W. said...

Land here I thought the updated NICE guidelines offered protection from this kind of abuse and tragic outcomes. Apparently not, how devastatingly heartbreaking.