My baby girl was born brain dead after doctors dismissed burning pain as ‘nothing’ – I was made to feel it was my fault
A BABY girl was born brain dead just days after doctors dismissed her mum’s “burning” pains as nothing.
Melissa Warman was admitted to Birmingham Women’s Hospital on November 19 after her waters broke.
The mum from Birmingham claimed she had “begged” staff to be induced as she was 3cm dilated.
Instead, she was sent home and told to wait for her induction date on November 25.
When she returned on November 23, after losing “a hell of a lot of water,” she was sent away again.
She called the hospital repeatedly but was reassured she would continue to lose water until she gave birth.
Just two days later, her daughter Nova was born brain-dead after an emergency caesarean.
“I was in agony,” Melissa said.
“It wasn’t like a contraction, it felt like burning, a pain so low down, and then she jolted inside me – that was the last time I felt her.”
When she returned to the hospital for the third time, on November 24, Nova’s heart rate was dangerously low.
“They pinned me down, stripped me naked – it was like they were blaming me. But it’s not my fault, they left me,” she told the BBC.
Nova was born at 7am, resuscitated, but later needed CPR at 3am.
The next day, her parents were forced to turn off the life support machines.
“She died twice, she was brain dead,” Melissa said through tears.
“They failed us,” she said.
Melissa believes the doctors should have induced her earlier,
“I had explained my waters went early with my last two pregnancies, it’s why they got me in for a booked caesarean at 37 weeks,” she said, according to Birmingham Mail.
“My little girl could have been here now.”
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust said they are supporting the family and conducting an investigation.
Daljit Athwal, chief nursing and midwifery officer at the hospital trust, offered “deepest sympathies” to the family.
“The safety of our maternity services is our highest priority,” she said.
“We are working alongside the family on an ongoing investigation, which will involve representation independent to our trust, to ensure the questions they have involving the care provided are answered fully.”
Donna Ockenden, the senior midwife who oversaw an inquiry into catastrophic maternity failures at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust, said she was beginning to see improvements in services, but more needed be done.
She is currently leading an inquiry into hundreds of baby deaths and injuries at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Donna Ockenden said deprivation was still a key factor key in determining the standard of service mothers received.
“Reports coming out [are] telling us that the gap between the haves and have nots, women in more comfortable environments to those living in deprivation, are much worse,” she said.
“Minority ethnic women and, actually, disadvantaged white women are getting much worse outcomes from maternity care.”
It comes as inspectors urgent action is needed to fix NHS maternity services as half of them are below standard.
An audit by the Care Quality Commission found massive variation in mum-and-baby units but also “common areas of concern” across England.
A shocking 65 per cent did not meet “good” safety standards.
Official figures show the number of women dying during pregnancy or shortly after the birth of their baby is at a 20-year high.
The CQC said many clinics do not properly report or learn from safety incidents.
Mums-to-be often face long delays due to short-staffing, it added, and their concerns are not always taken seriously.
What you can expect when you come to give birth at a hospital
If it's your first pregnancy, you may feel unsure about when you should go into hospital or a midwifery unit.
The best thing to do is to call your hospital or unit for advice.
If your waters have broken, you’ll probably be asked to go in to be checked.
If it’s your first baby and you’re having contractions but your waters have not broken, you may be advised to wait.
You’ll probably be asked to come in when your contractions are:
- Regular
- Strong
- About 5 minutes apart, or coming more often
If you do not live near your hospital, you may need to come in before you get to this stage.
Make sure you know the signs of labour and what happens.
Second babies often arrive more quickly than the first, so you may need to contact the hospital, midwifery unit or midwife sooner.
Do not forget to phone the hospital or unit before leaving home, and remember to take your notes.
If you’re planning a home birth, follow the procedure you have agreed with your midwife during your discussions about the onset of labour. Make sure you know the signs of labour.
Source: NHS