Couple Use Baby Loss Awareness Week To Call For Lessons To Be Learned

A mum is calling for lessons to be learned after three opportunities were missed to escalate her care in the days before her baby was delivered stillborn.

Concerns had been raised that Kimberley Wilson could be experiencing pre-eclampsia five days before her baby Ava was delivered by caesarean.
 
Following blood pressure tests at Kettering Hospital on 14 June, 2016, Kimberley was sent home into the care of community midwives. Three days later, on 17 June 2016, the Claimant had symptoms of mild oedema, high blood pressure and protein++ was found in her urine –symptoms of pre-eclampsia. No referral or admission to hospital was made by the midwife.

By 19 June, 2016, Kimberley, was complaining of severe stomach pains, blurred vision and feeling sick. She was admitted to hospital where she was confirmed as having pre-eclampsia and Ava had died.

Kimberley, 27, and her partner Paul York, 30, have now joined her legal team in using Baby Loss Awareness Week to call on Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to learn lessons from the incident. It comes after the Trust admitted liability for Ava’s death and agreed an undisclosed settlement with Kimberley to help her access the support she requires in a bid to try and overcome her ordeal.

A serious investigation report published by the Trust found that Ava’s death was ‘avoidable’. 

Expert Opinion

“Pre-eclampsia is a severe type of high blood pressure in pregnancy that can have tragic consequences for babies and can leaves mums seriously ill.

“Understandably Ava’s death has had a profound effect on Kimberley and Paul who feel badly let down by the events that led to Ava’s avoidable death.

“Whilst nothing can ever make up for their loss we are pleased that the Trust has accepted liability, allowing the couple to try and rebuild their lives the best they can.

“Baby Loss Awareness Week is an important time for reflection but also to promote the help available to families who have suffered the heartbreak of losing a child regardless of the circumstances.

“We now call on the Trust to ensure it learns lessons from Ava’s death so other families do not have to suffer the heart-break that Kimberley and Paul have.” Rosalie Reading - Senior Associate Solicitor

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling birth injury cases

Kimberley, a care assistant, and Paul of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, found out they were expecting their first child in late 2015. Kimberley was placed under the care of Kettering General Hospital. The couple’s due date was 13 July, 2016.

Following a visit to her GP on 14 June, 2016, with swollen legs and ankles, Kimberley was referred to Kettering General Hospital’s maternity unit to check for pre-eclampsia. 

After several hours she was discharged home to attend twice weekly community midwife appointments.

On 17 June, 2016, Kimberley was reviewed by a midwife and her legs and ankles remained swollen. Protein was found in her urine. She was booked in for another appointment three days later. Kimberley was advised of the symptoms of pre-eclampsia and told to call the hospital if these occurred. 

On 19 June Kimberley telephoned Kettering General Hospital complaining of abdominal pain, but was advised to stay at home and take a bath and painkillers.

She was reassured that her symptoms were normal and there was no need to attend hospital.

Kimberley called Kettering General Hospital again. She was advised that she could attend hospital, but if she did she would have to wait if she wanted to be seen as the delivery suit was very busy.

Following this she called another hospital and attended its maternity ward. Following tests Kimberley’s blood pressure was high and she had increased levels of protein in her urine. She started undergoing treatment for pre-eclampsia. However, by this time it was too late and doctors could not save Ava.

The Trust admitted in their Response letter that the symptoms displayed on 17 June 2016 were indicative of pre-eclampsia and warranted referral to hospital and admission. Had she been appropriately admitted on 17 June 2016, following onset of pain, she would have had CTG monitoring and baby Ava would have been delivered by caesarean section. Ultimately baby Ava’s death would have been avoided.

It was also noted in the Trust serious untoward investigation report that the telephone conversation Kimberley had with the hospital on 19 June prevented her from having timely and local care.

Kimberley said: “I was becoming concerned that something wasn’t right. I was being sick and the pain was getting worse.

“It got to the point where we had to try another hospital. From that point everything just moved so quickly. I will never forget when the staff told me that my baby didn’t have a heartbeat.

“To make it worse after Ava was delivered I could only hold her for a short while. She was perfectly formed and weighed 5lb 1oz but the doctors had to take away because I was so poorly.

“Time may have moved on from Ava’s death but life hasn’t. I say that I am fine and coping but I’m not sure I will ever get over losing Ava. I sit there at night going over everything that happened and why it did.

“Both me and Paul feel completely devastated by the loss of Ava.”

Baby Loss Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of the issues affecting those who have experienced pregnancy loss or baby death in the UK. It also campaigns for improvements in healthcare, research and bereavement support.