Hospitals trust says sorry over death of baby girl

THE MID Yorkshire Hospitals Trust has apologised for serious failings in the care provided to a pregnant mother, whose baby daughter was stillborn, after test results were not properly interpreted.

The mother, who has not been named, went to Pinderfields Hospital on January 27 2018 with swelling affecting her face, feet and hands when she was six months pregnant.

A urine sample was taken and she was discharged home with hypertension.

But when she returned the next day she was told the results were normal.

It was later discovered that she should have been treated for pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication that causes high blood pressure, which can be deadly for a woman and her unborn baby if untreated.

The woman continued to suffer with facial swelling and a urine test in the middle of February showed protein issues, but a midwife presumed it was a urine infection and no sample was taken. A scan on February 15 2018 showed the baby had no heartbeat. She was stillborn the next day.

The mother, who is being represented by Irwin Mitchell solicitors, said she was devastated by losing her daughter weeks from giving birth. She said: “Everything that happened was just an absolute nightmare... If any good can come from this, it is that lessons are hopefully being learned.”

The trust’s director of nursing and quality, David Melia, said measures had been put in place to try and prevent it happening to another family.

He said: “Our own investigation into the care we gave the patient and her baby, recognised that the care provided to them was deficient and fell below the standard they were entitled to expect.

“We are truly saddened that this care led to the heart-breaking death of her baby, and of course no amount of compensation can replace her loss.”

The trust was asked whether any staff had faced disciplinary action but they said they could not discuss individual cases “due to confidentiality”.