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"Labour ward"

About: University Hospital (Coventry) / Maternity

(as the patient),

In February my water broken and I came to Labour Ward, when midwife took me and put under the CTG for half an hour. After few hours midwife let me go home and asked to come back next day at 2pm.

I came to Coventry University Hospital after 2 pm the next day. First I came to reception and then I went onto Labour Ward 24. At 4 pm midwife checked my cervix which was 1cm open. Midwife decided to give me pessary into my vagina for 24 hours. I had next induction the third day after 4 pm, she checked my cervix which was open for 1cm.

On this date I requested my senior midwife to contact with my doctor, as I started to be worried, as it was already 3rd day without waters. I requested it around 22: 00 on day 3, senior midwife totally ignored me and informed that doctor is busy, without checking it.

During this date few midwifes came to check me and as well they were worried that I still did not deliver baby. My midwife was still saying that ‘ baby is happy’ and ‘everything is alright’. During the day midwifes was saying that I am next in queue to go on delivery department, but they all the time took other women.

I woke up at 2: 50 am on the 4th day and I asked if they can take me downstairs and midwife agreed for it and took me downstairs. When I was downstairs my midwife checked my cervix, it was still too small to give a birth. The decided  to give me a drip, which should help me, it was after 5am day 4.

After 8 am shift was changing and a different midwife start to take care of me. She did not check my cervix when she start taking care of me. She only came in to check the amount of drip and she was changing it for me, so once I receive larger amount of drip other time smaller. During all this time, she was not in my room. Until 12pm she was coming only few times. With me was my partner and my mother was supporting me all the time. My mom and partner few times need to look for my midwife, as she was not around.

She came after 11: 30 am, I asked her to check my cervix, she told me that she need to check it after 12: 00. I told her that I had really strong contractions and I felt that I need to go to toilet she advise me that I should go. On CTG I show that my baby was really uncalm, his CTG was really high. The Midwife offered me epidural, during this time there were 3 men inside my room, one of them was anaesthesiologist and trainee – they gave me an injection.

He done it 3 times but without success, and other person finish it and done it correctly. They put the plaster on incorrectly as I stuck to the bed. After injection the midwife checked cervix and as I had 1, 5cm open she put the big amount drip

. After few hours I had fever and started to feeling cold. Around 3-4pm I asked my doctor for caesarean, she told me that it is not necessary as it is only for emergency situation. After half an hour other doctor came in and checked my CTG and she decided that I am next for caesarean. I waited about 2 hours for my tour, going on the caesarean I had 39 degrees fever. My baby was delivered at 18: 57 on the 4th day They informed me that everything is alright with baby, they did not gave him to me on my chest. My partner saw the baby and he had a bigger head and he had problems with breathing. He asked if he needs to inform me, but one of the doctors told him to not saying anything more.

My baby was taken for Special Care Ward, nobody was able to see him during this time. The midwife informed my mother and my sister that with baby is everything OK and he is happy. She told them that he has got some small issues with breathing and everything is fine with me.

5 days later my baby passed away. We did not know the reason why it happened, as my whole pregnancy was low risk and everything was good. My last blood samples was one week before and everything was alright. My main question is why my baby and me got an infection being in hospital? Why midwife totally ignored me when I asked for consultation with my doctor, specially as I was on labour so doctor can come in any time.

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Responses

Response from Kerry Beadling, Head of Communications, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 7 years ago
Kerry Beadling
Head of Communications,
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Submitted on 19/12/2016 at 14:06
Published on Care Opinion at 17:05


Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.

I am the Deputy Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and I am deeply concerned to read the comment you have left here. First, please accept my sincere condolences on the death of your baby. When a baby dies, either from stillbirth or through being ill at birth, we always carry out an internal review. If you could please contact me directly, as a complaint of this gravity needs to be investigated properly and I would like the opportunity to be able to give you the answers you deserve, I can also share the outcome of the internal review with you.

We don’t know from what you have written who you are and so any information I can share here can only show generally what should happen, rather than specifically answer your points or address what happened to you and your baby.

It is normal for women whose waters have broken to return home and to come back to the maternity unit 24 hours later. The induction of labour can take up to five days during which time women, as you were, remain as an inpatient and their observations should be monitored regularly. The waters are the main barrier to infection and once these have broken, we limit the amount of vaginal examinations we carry out, to help prevent the risk of infection. From your feedback it appears as if your epidural was difficult to put in, unfortunately there are a number of clinical reasons why this might have been but without knowing your exact circumstances I can’t tell you exactly what happened.

As I said before, please accept my sincere condolences on the death of your baby and I would strongly urge you to contact me directly. You email me at: Claire.fryer@uhcw.nhs.uk or alternatively you can contact the PALS team on feedback@uhcw.nhs.uk

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