Doctor fails to check growth of foetus after pregnant woman's complication diagnosis
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- 25 Apr 2023
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The health watchdog has criticised the care given to a woman who lost her 11-day-old son after giving birth at Palmerston North Hospital.
The boy died of a severe brain injury after being delivered by emergency Caesarean section at 33 weeks' gestation in 2018.
The woman - identified as Mrs A in the Health and Disability Commission report - had been admitted to hospital a week earlier with pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes dangerously high blood pressure, often in the later stages of pregnancy.
Deputy commissioner Rose Wall found the woman's consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist did not carry out a foetal growth assessment following the woman's diagnosis, even though it was the expected standard of care.
She has made a number of recommendations after finding both the doctor and the then-MidCentral District Health Board in breach of its consumer rights' code.
The doctor - identified as Dr B in the report - said she was very sad to learn that "Baby A" had died.
"I reiterate how very sorry I am for the loss of [Baby A] and for [Mrs A's] experience while under my care," she said.
" tragic case like this always leads one to review the care provided with a critical eye and consider whether anything was missed, or whether anything could have been done differently."
The woman was admitted to hospital after expressing concerns about reduced foetal movements and was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia the same day. Read More…
