Birth injury causes cerebral palsy
When Phillipa’s labour was induced with prostin gel, this caused hyperstimulation of the uterus and consequent fetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain). The hyperstimulation was ignored and monitoring of the fetal heart rate by the cardiotocograph (CTG) was intermittent and not continuous as it should have been.
During the last hour of labour, the CTG trace was wrongly interpreted as ‘reactive’ and so the hypoxia was permitted to continue.
At delivery, Joanne was in a poor condition and she went on to suffer with severe cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs. She spends most of her day in a wheelchair with postural support. Her head control is poor and her sight impaired. Whilst Joanne has some voluntary arm movement she has no fine finger control and she has great difficulty in communicating.
A claim against the hospital was successfully pursued with the assistance of
Sara Burns, and compensation of £4,250,000 was agreed in an out of court settlement.