Hospital apologises after a mother suffering pre-eclampsia was told tests were normal, weeks before her baby girl was stillborn

The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust has apologised for serious failings in the care provided to a pregnant mum, whose baby daughter was stillborn.
Pinderfields Hospital Picture: SWNSPinderfields Hospital Picture: SWNS
Pinderfields Hospital Picture: SWNS

The devastated mum said she may never come to terms with the death of her baby daughter, which happened after test results failed to be properly interpreted.

She went to Pinderfields Hospital on January 27 2018 with swelling affecting her face, feet and hands, when she was six months pregnant.

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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 both 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.

However there was a reduction in the growth of the baby and a scan on February 15 showed the baby had no heartbeat. She was stillborn the next day.

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An investigation has since been held which the trust said showed that the care provided was "deficient and fell below the standard they were entitled to expect."

The mum said: “Everything that happened was just an absolute nightmare and I genuinely do not know if I will ever come to terms with it. I was just weeks away from meeting my baby and losing her in the way I did was just horrific.

“It is hard to take that a misinterpretation of some test results could have caused this, but if any good can come from this, it is that lessons are hopefully being learned. The apology from the NHS Trust is welcome and I also hope it is sincere in its efforts to ensure this does not happen again. No parent should have to go through this.”

Victoria Moss, at solicitors Irwin Mitchell, which is representing the woman, said it was a situation no woman should face.

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She said: “The problems which arose in this case were clearly avoidable and it is vital that such issues are never seen again. We hope that this Trust as well as the NHS nationally and other healthcare providers will learn from this to ensure that this is the case.”

David Melia, Director of Nursing and Quality, at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We offer our deepest, heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the family and we understand that this has been a very traumatic time for all involved.

"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.

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“We want to reassure the family that measures have been put in place to try to prevent this happening to another family."

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