Mum awarded £23K by NHS trust after unborn baby died without induced labour

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

A 23-year-old mum has been awarded £23,000 by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust after her unborn baby died from health complications, according to a report from Hudgell Solicitors.

The report said a scan while the mum was 37 weeks pregnant showed her baby was underweight and that fluid from her womb had leaked.

The trust arranged for the mum to return six days later for an induced labour, but the report said she should have been induced within 48 hours, according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

Three days after the scan, the woman returned to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich saying she had experienced contractions.

During the visit, the mother’s unborn daughter was found to have died. The stillborn girl weighed about five pounds, and had experienced low levels of oxygen in the womb – but the cause of death was not confirmed.

The mum said in the report: “I didn’t cope well, it really destroyed me. I was left holding her and I couldn’t believe it.

“I look back and think why did they not listen to me and take me seriously when I told them things were not right?

“I think it was because they saw me as a first-time mother, but they didn’t monitor me closely enough.”

The woman was told early in her pregnancy that she was at risk of developing pre-eclampsia toxaemia, a condition that can cause health complications for both the mother and baby.

The trust was said to have made a care plan with regular ultrasound scans to check the baby’s health.

The mother said in the report: “I don’t believe I was given the right attention. I know this was during the Covid pandemic but I still deserved to have proper care. If I had been induced earlier, I think my baby would be alive.”

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Foundation Trust admitted liability for the event in an out-of-court settlement and agreed to pay compensation.

The mum is now preparing to welcome her second child with her partner in the next few months, according to the report. She said: “It has affected my mental health and I have experienced depression, but I’m expecting another child soon and I have had to move on and think positively for all of our sakes.”

A Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust spokesman said: “We are deeply sorry and offer our heartfelt condolences to the mother and her partner for the tragic loss of their baby.

“A full investigation was carried out at the time, and since then we have made improvements to our maternity triage process to ensure the very best outcomes for mothers and babies.”

Queen Elizabeth Hospital entrance in Woolwich (Picture: Google Street View)