A Co. Tipperary couple and their unborn baby daughter have become the latest victims of further apparent malpractice at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. Earlier this year an RTE Prime Time Documentary revealed that four babies had died either shortly before or just after being born at this same maternity unit.
Mr Oliver Kelly and wife Amy Delahunt, both residing in Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary, claim that medical staff failed to recognise that their baby daughter was in foetal distress when she went to the Portlaoise maternity unit in May of last year.
The couple became aware that their baby daughter had stopped moving and went to the Midlands Regional Hospital where a Cardiotocograph Machine (CTG) or Electronic Fetal Monitor (EFM) was used to monitor the unborn child’s heartbeat. Following this Amy was subsequently discharged; however the next day, following a routine appointment to Limerick Hospital, they were informed that their baby daughter was dead. Mary-Kate was delivered to the couple on May 28th, and taken home for two days.
The couple only recently learned that their unborn baby was the fifth such baby to die after apparent failure of care at the Midlands Regional Hospital Unit. The couple are understood to have received information via a Freedom of Information request just three weeks ago, and were horrified to learn that the report identified a number of care management problems, including the inability to read CTG data correctly.
Last January, RTE revealed the tragic deaths of four other babies at the maternity unit and now this fifth couple have come forward with their story. The Chief Medical Officer published a damning report which found the maternity unit unsafe and a HIQA investigation is now under way at the hospital.
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