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Mother told to book an appointment to give birth to her dead baby
Danielle Brown’s baby, Maisie, died after Brown was discharged from hospital despite pre-eclampsia and concerns about the baby’s heart rate. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted that its care fell short and that Maisie would have lived if Brown had not been sent home.
Brown, 31, first attended Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary on 12 February 2023 and was discharged two days later. After returning with severe stomach cramps, she waited 90 minutes to see a doctor, who could not find a heartbeat; she was then sent home and later endured a ten-hour labour. The trust apologised, made changes to its urgent assessment procedures, and Brown received an undisclosed settlement.
In short
- A trust admitted its care failures contributed to Maisie’s death.
- Brown had been sent home despite pre-eclampsia and warning signs.
- The trust apologised and changed its maternity assessment procedures.
Explained simply
Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy condition that can cause high blood pressure and put both the pregnant woman and baby at risk. Concerns about a baby’s heart rate may need urgent checks to establish whether the baby is well.
The Royal Victoria Infirmary is part of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which provides hospital care in the area. When a trust accepts that its care fell short, it may apologise, change its procedures and agree compensation with the family.
Cases like this can raise questions about how quickly maternity patients are assessed and how hospitals respond to warning signs. The trust said it changed its urgent assessment procedures after reviewing Brown’s care.