Mum’s agony at stillborn tragedy after NHS blunder
A BABY boy was stillborn after his mother contracted an infection and a mix-up meant she was not given the antibiotics that might have saved him.
Nousheen North, 34, tested positive for group B strep – which is often harmless but can in rare cases be fatal for babies – a few weeks before her due date.
But the test results were not passed on to midwives or to Mrs North, who was therefore not given a dose of simple antibiotics that could have saved her baby, Evan. A post-mortem examination confirmed he died from sepsis due to group B strep (GBS) infection.
Last night Mrs North, a primary school teacher, said: ‘ Our baby son’s death was entirely preventable. The hospital failed to let us know I had tested positive for GBS, nor was it documented in my notes.
‘We understand the NHS is under pressure and mistakes happen but antibiotics could have saved Evan and so much heartache.
‘We were devastated by his death and want lessons to be learned so no other family has to go through a similar tragedy.’
Mrs North and her sports coach husband Iestyn, 35, are taking legal action against Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, which has admitted negligence and apologised.
Around one in four pregnant women carry GBS but in most cases their baby won’t be affected. However, in rare cases the bacte- ria can be passed on to the baby, and can be fatal.
Yet screening for GBS is not routinely offered by the NHS.
Mrs North, who is calling for screening in the UK, visited Broomfield Hospital, near her home in Chelmsford, Essex, after she started experiencing contractions around three weeks early. She was examined and a doctor by chance decided to swab for GBS. Mrs North was found not to be in full labour, so she was sent home and the swab went to a lab for analysis. The positive results were received three days later.
By then Mrs North was in labour and went to St Peter’s Hospital, in nearby Maldon, instead of Broomfield, which was too busy to take her. But the test was not recorded in her notes, and neither she nor midwives were told.
Evan was born not breathing on October 7, 2015, and transferred to Broomfield but could not be resuscitated.
Mrs North, who has since given birth to a healthy baby boy, Louie Evan, now eight months, said GBS was mentioned in childbirth courses, adding: ‘We had never even heard of GBS or the devastating impact it can have.
‘Staff just aren’t clued up about it. If we had screening in the UK then perhaps nurses would be more aware of it.
‘Evan’s death was just so needless. If we can save one other family from going through the same nightmare by getting the message out about how dangerous it can be then something positive has been achieved from our case.’
The family’s lawyer, Sophie Fox of JMW Solicitors, said: ‘If awareness of GBS among hospital staff had been greater, the penny might have dropped and that’s something Nousheen and Iestyn are bravely trying to address.’
Jane Plumb, of charity GBS Support, also applauded the couple’s courage and called for greater awareness among expectant parents and health workers.