Baby tragedy could have been avoided

THE devastated parents of a baby who died from head injuries following a failed forceps birth have spoken of their heartache.

Martin Beaty, golf professional at Royton and Crompton Golf Club and his wife, Hannah, saw baby Thomas bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth just after birth.

Thomas was born with a fractured skull and bleeding under the scalp, caused when doctors pushed him back into the womb during a forceps delivery that went wrong.

An inquest found doctors at the Royal Oldham Hospital were in breach of national guidelines by trying to pull Thomas out with forceps five times. Thomas initially appeared healthy but deteriorated and died 26 hours later.

Coroner Lisa Hashmi found a link between the forceps delivery and the head injury, probably caused when doctors forced him back from his mother’s pelvis for an emergency Caesarean.

The coroner rejected submissions from the family’s lawyer that the hospital had been neglectful.

Dr Shankaralingaiah Nethra, the most senior doctor involved, declined to answer questions about why she made five forceps attempts. She and another registrar, Dr Mari Isdale, have now been given extra training following a review.

Martin (34) said: “Our son was a beautiful and healthy, full-term baby. If it wasn’t for the actions of the Royal Oldham Hospital on the night of his birth, he would be with us today.

“We have to live the rest of our lives with broken hearts, knowing Thomas’ life was taken and knowing he should be with us. We need medical professionals nationwide to be aware of the facts of this case so this terrible incident is never repeated.”

Expert witnesses appearing at the inquest told how it was extremely unusual to make more than three attempts with forceps.

Experienced obstetricians can go outside these guidelines but only if they can clinically justify their decision.

Zak Golombek, from Slater Gordon Solicitors, representing the family, said: “The coroner has concluded that the decision to proceed beyond three forceps tractions was not in line with the general body of obstetric opinion. This was unequivocal from the evidence heard.”

Pennine Acute Trust said in a statement that steps have been taken to prevent similar incidents.