Arthur’s death brings breech guidelines shift
THE tragic death of a baby after a breech home birth has led to an overhaul of the emergency labour guidelines.
Little Arthur Trott was an undiagnosed and risky feet-first – or footling – breech, which normally requires a caesarean.
When father Matt called the hospital, the midwife told him to call 999 to transfer wife Stephanie immediately to hospital.
Paramedics arrived at their home in Burgess Hill, Sussex, 12 minutes later, and the midwife was put on the phone. She repeated the instruction for immediate hospital treatment.
However, the ambulance operator cited official guidance from the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee. This states if a breech birth is “imminent” then try to deliver the baby.
An advanced critical care paramedic arrived and questioned why Stephanie had not already gone to the hospital.
Five minutes later the ambulance control desk told paramedics to go to hospital. But because the delivery was so advanced a final effort was made to complete it.
When this attempt failed, Stephanie was taken to hospital and arrived an hour after the first call had been made. Arthur had suffered catastrophic brain injury due to lack of oxygen and died three days later.
At his inquest last year, assistant coroner Dr Karen Henderson issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives. It is clarifying advice on footling breech to state the mother should be taken to hospital.
A South East Coast Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We welcome any changes to breech birth guidance aimed at improving maternity care.”
Matt, a veterinary practice manager, 37, said: “It was the most traumatic thing we have ever experienced. You could hear the panic and confusion in everyone’s voices.”
Stephanie, 33, added: “Life without Arthur is very painful.”
The couple have since bought a four-acre piece of land, named Arthur’s Patch, with a children’s play area and a pond named after eight-month-old daughter Primrose.
They hope to create a community space where grieving parents can visit.
‘Hear the panic in their voices’