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Credit-Card Baby for Woman Afraid of NHS

Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 18:00 CDT

A WOMAN paid Pounds 10,000 on her credit card to give birth at the private Portland Hospital because she was too scared to have her child in an NHS hospital.

Ann Quay le, 4 4 , refused to go to the Royal Free Hospital after staff said her husband could not stay overnight.

She instead opted to go to the Portland, where Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney and Zoe Ball have given birth. She eventually had a Caesarean section.

Mrs Quayle was a week overdue when she was told that her labour would need to be induced.

Mrs Quayle said: "I was just too scared to have my baby at the Royal Free.

"They wanted me to be induced, but wouldn't let my husband stay overnight with me. I was told it would offend the Muslim ladies on the ward.

"The nurse was reading medical details to me and she called me Sandra - she was reading the wrong notes."

Mrs Quayle decided to go to the Portland where she was booked in for a Caesarean because of the baby's position.

She had a 7lb 5oz girl, Tiger Lilly, on Saturday.

She said: "I am a huge supporter of the NHS.

"I was disappointed to have to go private my husband staying with me overnight would not have cost a penny."

The Portland hospital has one of the highest Caesarean rates in the country and at least two women have died following the procedure there.

Several doctors and midwives have appeared before disciplinary bodies over poor care.

A Royal Free Hospital spokeswoman said: "Because women receiving antenatal care are in four-bedded bays we cannot accommodate partners but as soon as labour starts the woman and her birth partner can be together on the labour ward.

"Because Ms Quayle was not happy that her husband would not be able to stay with her we made special arrangements to bring her in during the day.

"When she left the clinic the midwife who had looked after her believed that Ms Quayle was happy with this arrangement."

Source: Evening Standard; London (UK)

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