A Bathlodge couple have filed a negligence lawsuit against the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre following the death of their unborn child.
Schoolteacher Gretchen Saunders-Christopher and husband Rody are suing for mental distress, among other damages, through their attorney Wendel Alexander.
Saunders-Christopher blames the stillbirth on November 1 2022 on medics who attended to her at the hospital.
The 43-year-old mother-of-two said during one of her regular prenatal visits to the hospital, she was told that if her baby was not born by her due date of October 22 she would have to undergo induced labour because, due to her age, her pregnancy was considered high risk.
The woman claimed she followed all instructions and presented herself to the hospital for an induction but was told the Maternity Ward was full and that she should return in three days.
Consequently, she checked in again three days later for her prescheduled induction and was admitted to the Maternity Ward for an induction for her baby to be born at about 10am.
At the time, she was 40 weeks and three days’ pregnant, was 2cm dilated and experiencing slight contractions.
She said while waiting for hours in the waiting room to go into the ward, she began leaking fluid from her vagina.
In her affidavit, which Observer has seen, Saunders-Christopher said she was checked by a nurse who then reported the leakage the following day. She said she was told that the fluid was not amniotic fluid, so her induction would be delayed since other patients were in greater need of attention and the hospital was understaffed.
For two consecutive days, she realised that her foetus was moving less and less.
She then informed a night doctor who told her to eat more, apparently claiming that was why she was not feeling much movement.
This is when the nurse reported that Saunders-Christopher had elevated blood pressure.
When doctors checked the foetus, she was told that they could not find a heartbeat and that the baby had died.
Approximately 30 minutes later, she was given an induction tablet to deliver the dead baby. She was discharged from the hospital the same day.
She is suing for negligence, recklessness and causing suffering.
Saunders-Christopher said she has since suffered mental distress and other health issues, including loss of sleep, anxiety, and intense grief.
The hospital has been approached for comment.
