Traumatic Birth Injuries

The birth of a child is usually the cause for celebration but when there is birth trauma, it can have significant consequences for mum and baby. In some circumstances, birth trauma is unavoidable but when there are failings in maternity care, it can lead to avoidable complications which cause life changing injuries or even death.

One such example of the failings in maternity care that the UK is currently facing with the most tragic of consequences is the recently reported case of Laura-Jane Seaman, a 36 year old mum of 5, who sadly died after suffering a traumatic birth of her child.

Laura was received care from maternity services at the Broomfield Hospitral in Essex and following an investigation by the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, it was concluded that her death was “avoidable” and “contributed to by neglect. Laura’s labour had been straightforward, and all seemed well following the birth of her baby boy. Suddenly however, Laura became unwell and distressed, and she expressed to the medical professionals caring for her that she did “not feel right” and she felt like she was gushing blood.

She had suffered an internal bleed but despite being known to be at “high risk” of post-partum haemorrhage, her concerns were dismissed and crucial action which could have avoided her death was not taken.
Instead, she was treated for dehydration and given a biscuit. Many warning signs were missed and by the time it was recognised, it was too late. Sadly, two days later, after multiple operations and cardiac arrests, Laura passed away. Our thoughts go out to Laura’s family and in particular, her children.

To read the full of events of this tragic story please see the article on Sky News

Inquiry into Laura-Jane’s Death

Cases such as Laura’s unfortunately happen too often and change is needed to address this. On 9 January 2024, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Birth trauma established the first national inquiry in the UK Parliament to investigate the reasons for birth trauma and to develop policy recommendations to reduce the rate of birth trauma, including maternal deaths.

The purpose of the inquiry was to attempt to break the taboo and share stories and experiences of mothers and fathers publicly and start a public discussion on the realities of giving birth and how this can practically improve maternity services. It is noted within the report, that while many women in the UK have a positive experience of birth, resulting in a healthy baby, this is not always the case, and the inquiry focused on the times when birth has been traumatic, leading to poor outcomes for the mother or baby.

In the past 10 years, there have been three major investigations into failings in maternity care at specific NHS trusts: Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury and Telford, and East Kent. A fourth is underway at Nottingham University Hospitals. These reports all led to recommendations to improve maternity care, but a current programme of inspections by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has resulted in nearly half of maternity units in England being rated as either “inadequate” or “requires improvement”. Current policy on improving maternity care is fragmented. Although there are several national policy documents that address the need to improve maternity care, the inquiry heard that there is no single overarching strategy document.

To review the full enquiry report, please follow this link: Birth Trauma Report | Theo Clarke (theo-clarke.org.uk)

Our experienced medical negligence team have substantial experience in helping families who have gone through birth trauma, resulting in significant injury to the baby, mum or both. We pride ourselves on our empathy, supporting families in our capacity as lawyers but first and foremost as family members ourselves. Many of team are parents and can wholeheartedly understand the importance of getting justice and recognition that you have been let down by those in which you have put your trust.

If you or a loved one have suffered substandard maternity care, please contact our Clinical Negligence Department on 01482 323697, who have the skills, knowledge and experience to assist.