Doctor's didn't give my baby a chance

Published on Tuesday 18 September 2007 12:18

A HEARTBROKEN mother-to-be today accused the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary of neglect after doctors sent her home just hours before her baby died.

Michelle Forsyth was 33 weeks pregnant with her first child when she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal complication. But the 38-year-old hairdresser was allowed to return home - only for her baby to stop moving just two hours later.

The next morning she returned to the hospital to be told that her baby had died.

She later had to give birth to her dead son in the same department as other new mothers.

Her family believe the hospital should have arranged for an induced labour, or performed a Caesarean birth, to give baby Anthony a "fighting chance". This is common when pre-eclampsia occurs late in the pregnancy.

Ms Forsyth, of Halmyre Street in Leith, said: "The whole experience was devastating.

"I was at the ERI one day and they told me my baby was excitable, strong and full of life. A few days later he was sluggish and I was told I had pre-eclampsia.

"I didn't really know much about this. However, the consultant sent me home and even told me I could return to work.

"But two hours after I left the hospital, I knew my baby had died because I couldn't feel him anymore. The hospital staff confirmed this the following morning and my world collapsed. I had been waiting for many years to have a child. I just can't understand why the consultant sent me home and didn't give me a Caesarean."

She added: "I felt I was safe in the doctors' hands. But I now realise Anthony could have been saved that Monday if they had offered him a fighting chance.

"The hospital is guilty of neglect and I don't want that to happen to anyone else." Ms Forsyth has been comforted throughout her ordeal by mum Maureen and dad David, from Portobello, and her sister Shirley.

The mother-to-be and her family said they raised concerns with senior staff at the ERI after midwives at the Simpson maternity centre "expressed outrage" at what happened.

Each year in the UK, around 1000 babies die as a result of pre-eclampsia, which is characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the mother's urine, and means the baby's placenta is underdeveloped.

The Action on Pre-eclampsia support group today said its guidelines suggested a woman who had been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia should be admitted to hospital for observation and management.

Chief executive Michael Rich said: "Once you have a confirmed diagnosis of pre-eclampsia, we know that it is not going to go away, and while it might rumble on for a period, there is always a chance that it might progress to a crisis very quickly."

Ms Forsyth, who works at Halo Hairdressing in Portobello, originally put off starting a family to concentrate on her career. But after meeting her partner of two-years, Mark Henderson, the pair decided to have a baby.

David Farquharson, women's services clinical director with NHS Lothian, said today: "The death of a baby is always extremely sad and we would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Ms Forsyth and her family.

"Ms Forsyth has not made a formal complaint and we cannot discuss individual cases publicly. However, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further with her and I will be writing to Ms Forsyth to invite her to meet with us."