Hospital apologises for stillborn baby’s death after series of mistakes Mother herself died a year later following second birth
FOZIA Hanif’s first daughter was still-born and – struck down by Covid-19 just 11 months later – she was too ill to cradle her second child. She could only hold photographs of new-born son Ayaan.
The 29-year-old clutched the picture and said to her husband: “Look it’s our baby, we’re going to come home soon.”
They were her final words.
Fozia died six days after giving birth at Birmingham’s Heartlands Hospital.
Now husband Wajid Ali, from Sparkbrook, Birmingham, has spoken of his heartbreak after an NHS trust admitted a string of “unacceptable errors” surrounding the death of her first child, Anaya.
Medics at Birmingham Women’s Hospital in Edgbaston failed to monitor Fozia’s elevated blood glucose levels and her baby’s accelerated growth.
Staff did not act on her increased blood pressure and protein markers by arranging for a caesarean.
Instead, she was placed on a waiting list. Anaya was pronounced stillborn the day before Fozia was due to undergo a C-section.
An internal hospital investigation revealed the planned caesarean date was three days after Anaya should have been delivered.
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has now apologised to the family and admitted liability.
Mr Ali said: “We were overjoyed when Fozia fell pregnant with Anaya. It was always our dream to start a family.
“For the most part, the pregnancy ran relatively smoothly.
“We were advised at Fozia’s 20-week scan the baby was measuring big and there would be extra monitoring of the baby’s growth.
“Towards the end of April, Fozia started feeling unwell. We were concerned about what was happening, but put our trust in those looking after us.
“To be told that Anaya had died was absolutely heart-breaking. “Nothing can prepare you for those words and returning home to see a nursery full of toys that Anaya never got to play with.
“To start trying to come to terms with losing Anaya was hard enough. While Fozia’s death is not connected to what happened to Anaya, to be now left without my wife and daughter in the space of less than a year is something I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get over. Having to say goodbye to Fozia was the hardest decision our family will ever make.
“Fozia was a wonderful, loving and caring person who wouldn’t think twice about helping others. She would have been an amazing mum. “Ayaan will grow up knowing all about his mum and his big sister and they will always be a part of our family.
“While nothing can undo what has happened, all I can hope for now is that the Trust learns lessons over Anaya’s death so others don’t have to face the pain of losing a child in such circumstances.”
Fozia was a high risk patient because of asthma and type-II diabetes. She was placed under consultant-led care at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.
In a letter, David Melbourne, acting chief executive of the trust, has since offered “sincere and heartfelt apologies on behalf of the Trust”.
He said Fozia did not “receive the level of care and treatment... she had every right to expect”.
He added when Fozia’s elevated blood glucose levels were identified it was “absolutely clear” she should have been admitted to hospital for observation.
Mr Melbourne acknowledged “further errors” were made when the Trust did not act on Fozia’s elevated blood pressure and protein markers.
He said: “I am also conscious that any apology after such serious failings will be of limited comfort to you and your family.
“However, I do hope that you can take some assurance from the fact that we are doing all we can to learn from these mistakes by reviewing our practice and policies to minimise the potential of these unacceptable errors recurring for other women, babies and families in the future.
“We are committed to taking steps to prevent what happened to you happening again.”
Shay Williams, a specialist lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, which acted on behalf of the family, said: “What was meant to be such a joyous occasion for Fozia and Wajid turned to sheer heartbreak.
“When a pregnant woman with diabetes has high blood glucose levels her baby will store this as body fat, making the baby larger than normal.
“Therefore, close monitoring and tight control of blood glucose levels is key to ensuring a safe pregnancy and delivery.
“We believe that if Fozia had been admitted to hospital her condition could have been monitored, and if required, an appropriate care plan put in place and ultimately, Fozia would have delivered a healthy baby girl.”