Hospital errors caused stillbirth

Posted: February 19, 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury Medical Negligence Wrongful & Accidental Death 

Medical experts have ruled that a baby girl delivered stillborn could have been born healthy if there had been no medical errors. The mother was repeatedly turned away from Hull Royal Infirmary during her pregnancy in 2011 and was categorised as a ‘low risk’ pregnancy, despite having suffered a haemorrhage only days before her due date. The baby was delivered stillborn. The hospital apologised for the failings and awarded her £25,000 in compensation.

Medical experts carried out an investigation surrounding the stillbirth and found that the baby could have been born healthy and alive if the mother had been induced earlier. The mother, who was 18 at the time, had required several hospital admissions in May/June 2011 with complaints of pain and bleeding.  

“I received an appalling level of care”

Examinations in July 2011, after suffering a haemorrhage, detected a heartbeat on the ultrasound scans. This suggested that the baby would have been born alive and healthy had the mother been induced between that date and her due date on 9 July.

Hospital staff sent the mother home before she was admitted again on her due date. Her daughter was stillborn the following day. The woman, who remains unnamed, said: “It was my first pregnancy. I was young and I put my trust in them but I received an appalling level of care and I felt like I was treated like a silly little teenager.”

If you have been affected by medical negligence, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us. 

« Injured veteran’s care costs to be reviewed
War veteran calls for change regarding compensation »