Medical Negligence Lawyers Secure Settlement For Mum Campaigning To Improve Maternity Safety

A couple are campaigning to improve maternity care nationally after their “miracle” baby died following a three-hour delay in providing a potentially life-saving blood transfusion.

Sarah and Andrew Conroy say more needs to be done to ensure families are receiving the best standard of care after the baby they spent four years trying for died at just six-hours-old.

Baby Kit was born in a poor condition and needed to be resuscitated after Sarah had suffered a serious bleed, known as an antepartum haemorrhage – where the placenta separates from the womb – during labour.

Baby Kit didn't receive emergency blood transfusion for three hours 

However, instead of giving Kit an emergency blood transfusion during his resuscitation, medics at London’s University Hospital Lewisham did not administer blood until he was three-hours-old.

It was the third time Sarah had suffered significant bleeding – having previously been admitted to the hospital at 36 weeks and three days into her pregnancy. She had lost around 300 millilitres of blood at home and was diagnosed with a major antepartum haemorrhage. 

The cause of the antepartum haemorrhage was not identified and she was discharged. At 38 weeks and four days, Sarah suffered a second episode of bleeding and again attended the hospital.  She was offered induction of labour at 39 weeks of her pregnancy. 

Medical negligence lawyers investigate family's maternity care at London hospital

Following Kit’s death, Sarah, of Sevenoaks, Kent, instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the family’s care under Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

The Trust admitted breaches of duty in that an emergency blood transfusion was needed, there was a delay in transfusing neonatal blood and the volume of blood administered to Kit was less than required. However, the Trust stated that had Kit received a transfusion during resuscitation he would have survived with significant brain injury and if the blood transfusion had taken place after resuscitation he would have died. The Trust said that it was not liable for his death.

Following further legal submissions and with the case heading to court, the Trust agreed an undisclosed out-of-court settlement.

Sevenoaks couple want lessons learned to improve maternity safety for others

Sarah and Andrew, aged 39, have now joined their legal team at Irwin Mitchell in calling for lessons to be learned.

They are using Baby Loss Awareness Week to share their story in the hope of helping other families and urging Hospital Trusts to work more collaboratively with families to resolve concerns if they arise.

Elaine Farr is the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Sarah.

Expert Opinion

“Sarah and Andrew continue to be affected by Kit’s death and the circumstances surrounding it. While the Trust admitted a delay in administering Kit’s life-saving blood transfusion, they still believe more should have been done to diagnose the cause of Sarah’s initial bleed weeks before her induction of labour and a care plan put in place.

“While we’re pleased to have secured answers and a settlement, allowing Sarah to access the specialist support she requires, the impact of what happened to Kit is profound and life-altering for both Sarah and Andrew.

“Through our work supporting families affected by maternity care issues across the country we too often see the devastating consequences parents are left to face and how they’re often left wanting answers.

“It’s now vital that lessons are learned from the issues identified in Sarah’s case to improve maternity safety for others. An antepartum haemorrhage can be a sign of serious conditions like a placental abruption and is a leading cause of maternal and infant deaths.” Elaine Farr

Baby loss: Sarah Conroy's story

Sarah, a theatre box office manager, was taken to University Hospital Lewisham on 21 February, 2021, after suffering bleeding at home. She was sent home two days later with doctors saying the cause of her bleed was unknown.

On 8 March, 2021, she attended hospital concerned about further bleeding which was deemed to be old blood from her initial bleed. She was booked in for a planned induction of labour four days later at just over 39 weeks pregnant.

At around 1.12pm on 13 March Sarah thought her waters had broken. However, she had suffered a significant bleed.

A decision was made to deliver Kit by emergency caesarean. Kit, who was starved of oxygen during delivery, was delivered at 1.28pm.

He took his first breath at nearly 17-minutes-old and did not start receiving blood until just after 4.30pm. However, his condition deteriorated and he died around six hours old in Andrew’s arms.

During the bleed and subsequent surgery Sarah lost around three-and-a-half pints of blood.

A Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch report into Kit’s death found that Sarah’s antepartum haemorrhage was so significant that there was only one possible diagnosis – that the bleeding had originated from the placenta. Rather than doctors saying the cause for the initial bleed was unknown, it would have been appropriate to diagnose partial placental abruption.

As Sarah was approaching 37 weeks pregnant, there was an opportunity for her to remain in hospital and for her to be offered an induction of labour at 37 weeks, the report added.

However, during the legal case, the Trust denied the HSIB’s findings were a breach of duty. 

Following Kit’s death, Sarah and Andrew have received counselling from Abigail’s Footsteps while friends and family have also raised money for the charity.

The couple have since had two babies – Cooper, aged two, and Jude, aged eight months.

Sarah shares her story to empower other families

Sarah said: “We’d called Kit our little miracle. I’d had surgery to remove fibroids and despite years of trying it felt like we were never going to have any joy. We’d started to look into IVF and were due to have an initial appointment, however, the day before that meeting I found out I was expecting.

“We were overjoyed that our dream of having a baby was coming true. We attended all the midwife and ante-natal appointments and scans and everything was fine.

“Then one day I experienced significant bleeding. I wasn’t in any pain but the blood had soaked through my clothes on to the sofa. 

“From that moment things changed but at no stage were any plans to change my care discussed with me.

“The day Kit was born should have been the happiest of our lives but it turned to absolute despair. I don’t think we’ll ever get over leaving hospital and not taking Kit with us to start our new lives together.

“We’re so thankful and feel so blessed that we have Cooper and Jude, but it’s difficult that Kit isn’t at home with the four of us.

“Kit will always be part of our family and we’ll always love him. However, we’ll always believe he was badly let down.

“Parents need to trust their instincts and know it is ok to ask questions of medical staff to ensure they’re happy with their care. There continues to be too many families affected by poor maternity care that we can’t sit by and do nothing.

“If by sharing our story we can help empower families to ask questions and improve care then maybe Kit’s death won’t have been totally in vain.”

Sarah and Andrew campaign for improved maternity across the country

Sarah added: “Losing Kit especially in the manner we did was hard enough, but we then felt like we faced a real challenge to get answers.

“We were left trying to grieve for our baby while facing a complex system. At times it felt like our concerns weren’t being listened to by the Trust. We felt they were defensive and we were made to feel like a burden for wanting answers. If it wasn’t for the help and support we’ve received over the last few years, I’m not sure we’d have coped.

“Sadly, what happened to us wasn’t an isolated incident and you see and read too many stories about maternity care issues. No family want to find themselves in the position we have but the least they deserve is for their voices to be heard.”

Following Kit’s death in March 2021, Sarah and Andrew chose for a post-mortem examination to be carried out. It found that Kit died from a brain injury as a result of being born with no detectable heart rate, caused by the significant bleeds suffered by Sarah and an inflamed placenta. An inquest was not held into his death.

Baby Loss Awareness Weeks runs from 9-15 October. 

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting families affected by maternity care failings at our dedicated birth injuries section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.