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Hospital Told Me Go Home. . 45mins Later I Gave Birth

Posted on: Thursday, 23 March 2006, 06:00 CST

By RON MOORE

A HEAVILY pregnant mum was turned away from hospital - and endured a terrifying birth at home just 45 minutes later.

Joanne Greenshields, 30, went to Wishaw General Hospital, Lanarkshire, after her waters broke. But she was told the birth was days away and sent home by staff without a full examination.

Joanne's husband Roddy, 30, said: "As soon as we got home Joanne felt a lot of pain. She went to the toilet and could feel the baby coming. I called 999 - but they took 45 minutes to arrive."

Joanne lost four pints blood and drifted in and out of consciousness as Roddy battled to deliver their baby boy.

The couple, who live in Chapelhall, near Airdrie, Lanarkshire, say they were left traumatised by the experience and will make an official complaint against the hospital.

"I did fear for Joanne and the baby," said Roddy. At one point the cord wrapped around his neck, but I managed to unwrap it. I'm still angry."

Six weeks later, baby boy Bailey and mum are doing well, but it took Roddy hours to clean the couple's home and they had to replace their bed.

Joanne said: "If they'd examined me properly they would've seen I was in labour. I wasn't feeling much pain so they just presumed I was OK.

"But I must have been dilated by about eight centimetres.

"And after losing all that blood, I also needed a transfusion."

To add to Joanne's ordeal, there were also delays over her blood transfusion. She said: "They had to do it over two days because three units of the blood hadn't been in the fridge so they couldn't use it.

"It meant I was so weak I couldn't hold my baby. You can never get these first moments back."

"I am not bitter, but I don't want other women to have to go through this."

Joanne is the latest mum turned away from Wishaw.

Last month Kirsty McDonald, 26, was told there was no room when she went into premature labour.

She was taken from Wishaw to the nearest available maternity unit - 75 miles away in Dundee.

A spokesperson for Lanarkshire Health Board: "We regret any instance where a patient feels they have not received appropriate care."

reporters@mirror.co.uk

Source: Daily Mirror

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