Our experts recently agreed a settlement of £50,000 for a family who lost their second child to a stillbirth that should have been avoided by their hospital.
The family’s first son was born via an emergency c-section a year earlier due to symptoms showing that he was in distress and results indicating inadequate growth.
This was a red flag for our client’s second pregnancy which should have been recognised and treated as high risk as a result. Their local hospital failed to not only follow their own guidelines but also failed to adhere to NHS guidance and advice for medical care in these circumstances from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
During the first trimester a test showed that there were low levels of protein being produced by the placenta. This outcome should have directed the maternity staff to escalate our client’s care to a consultant as it met the criteria for a high risk pregnancy.
This result also indicated that the baby’s growth may be restricted. The hospital failed to provide consultant care at this stage.
Guidance from the RCOG state that an ultrasound and serial assessments of a baby’s growth should be provided. The hospital failed to provide this level of care and our client was still not reviewed by a consultant.
Twenty nine weeks into the pregnancy our client was reviewed by a consultant obstetrician and shared her wish to avoid an induction of labour.
At 31 weeks the hospital staff noted that the baby was small in size. The hospital still did not escalate our client’s care to a consultant despite clear guidance to do so and evidence that this was the correct course of action.
At 36 weeks our client was seen by a consultant obstetrician but she was not made aware that her son was not growing as expected, nor given any indication that the birth plan may have to change accordingly.
NHS guidelines state that in these circumstances that our client should have been advised that an induction of birth should have been provided at 39 weeks to ensure the safe delivery of her son. The hospital failed to action this.
At the forty week mark tests showed a sudden change in the baby’s growth. Additional care should have been provided but the hospital failed to advise the family of this concerning sign.
Unaware of the significant risks present, our client once again advised the hospital staff that she did not wish to have labour induced. Instead, an elective caesarean was booked in.
Four days before the c-section was due to be performed, our client suffered a membrane rupture. The baby had no heartbeat on a CTG and was sadly stillborn 16 hours after the membrane rupture.
He was normally developed at birth however, the placenta – a vital source of nutrients for a baby – was extremely small. The family’s son had suffered oxygen deprivation over a 24 hour period due to a dysfunction with the placenta.
Had the hospital taken heed of multiple guidelines – its own, NHS guidance and advice from the RCOG, all in place to ensure patient safety – their son would have been delivered at 39 weeks safe and well.