National Healthcare Guidelines: Let Premature Babies Die
Posted Under: Uncategorized
WedNEWSday - September 9th, 2009
by Vanessa Allen and Andrew Levy
‘Doctors told me it was against the rules to save my premature baby’
Doctors left a premature baby to die because he was born two days too early, his devastated mother claimed yesterday.
Sarah Capewell begged them to save her tiny son, who was born just 21 weeks and five days into her pregnancy - almost four months early.
They ignored her pleas and allegedly told her they were following national guidelines that babies born before 22 weeks should not be given medical treatment.
Miss Capewell, 23, said doctors refused to even see her son Jayden, who lived for almost two hours without any medical support.
She said he was breathing unaided, had a strong heartbeat and was even moving his arms and legs, but medics refused to admit him to a special care baby unit.
Miss Capewell is now fighting for a review of the medical guidelines.
Medics allegedly told her that they would have tried to save the baby if he had been born two days later, at 22 weeks.
In fact, the medical guidelines for Health Service hospitals state that babies should not be given intensive care if they are born at less than 23 weeks.
The guidance, drawn up by the Nuffield Council, is not compulsory but advises doctors that medical intervention for very premature children is not in the best interests of the baby, and is not ’standard practice’.
(continues below)
James Paget Hospital in Norfolk refused to comment on the case but said it was not responsible for setting the guidelines relating to premature births.
A trust spokesman said: ‘Like other acute hospitals, we follow national guidance from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine regarding premature births.’
Miss Capewell, who has had five miscarriages, said the guidelines had robbed her son of a chance of life.
She said: ‘When he was born, he put out his arms and legs and pushed himself over.
A midwife said he was breathing and had a strong heartbeat, and described him as a “little fighter”.
I kept asking for the doctors but the midwife said, “They won’t come and help, sweetie. Make the best of the time you have with him“.’
She cuddled her child and took precious photos of him, but he died in her arms less than two hours after his birth…
Read more at Daily Mail - September 9th, 2009
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Reader Comments
i think this storey is sickening im pregnangt myself and if that happend to me i would go mental!!!!! the midwife had sed he had a strong heartbeat and he was moving, surley this would have made it abit diffrent than a under “22 weeks” premature baby as some of them dont have strong heart beats.. i this this is discrasefull…… and would put me off having a baby if i wasnt already pregnant as i would cause my self to much stress thinking about weather the NHS would leave my baby for dead!!!!!!!!!!!! sickening!!!!
My heart is breaking for you Ms Capewell. As a fortunate and blessed mother of two I can’t begin to imagine what you have been through. Please know that there are people out there who would have done everything they could have to save Jayden if only given the chance. You will always be his mother and he will always be a part of you. Don’t ever let him go.