Failure to adequately monitor growth of unborn baby causes stillbirth

Grace was seen at a day unit in Worcester Royal Hospital where an ultrasound scan was performed but a Doppler scan was not performed. She was discharged from hospital and assured that everything was normal.

Grace continued to attend her antenatal appointments and at a later appointment she was informed that her baby had died in utero. 

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust admitted liability for the stillbirth and accepted that there had been failures to perform a Doppler scan and notice that Grace’s unborn baby was suffering from growth restriction. With proper monitoring and investigations, Grace’s baby could have been delivered by caesarean section and avoided the oxygen starvation that caused her death.

The Trust missed an opportunity to notice that the placenta was not providing enough oxygen and perform an emergency caesarean section that would have led to the survival of Grace’s unborn child.

Grace suffered from psychiatric injuries as a result of the sudden and unexpected shock of discovering her baby had died and by having to undergo the delivery of her stillborn daughter.

The case was settled out of court, and a five figure sum was achieved with the help of Birmingham clinical negligence lawyer, Matthew Waite.