Doctor accused of poor performance of care to 'high risk' mother who delivered still-born baby

A high-risk mother’s baby was born with “no signs of life” after an emergency caesarean section, a medical inquiry heard this morning (Wednesday), writes Liz Farasci.

The baby boy, who did not respond to resuscitation, was born to a mother referred to as Patient C on the evening of April 26, 2014, at Cavan General Hospital.

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Salah Aziz Ahmed denies allegations of poor professional performance and professional misconduct in relation to the care he provided to this patient, the Medical Council inquiry in Dublin heard.

The inquiry into Dr Aziz began in November 2016. It concerns three patients, including Patient C, as well as Patient A and a third patient, Deirdre Clarke, who is the only one who agreed to be named.

Patient A’s baby boy was born in very poor condition on the night of November 22, 2012, and passed away on November 24, 2012, 32 hours after he was born. 

Ms Clarke required an emergency caesarean section after her uterus ruptured while labouring at Cavan hospital on June 5, 2013. She suffered a post-partum haemorrhage and her baby boy was born in a very poor condition, although he made an eventual recovery.

The inquiry heard today that Baby C was his mother’s seventh pregnancy, as she had suffered three previous miscarriages in 2007, given birth to a stillborn baby girl in 2009, and then given birth to two live baby girls in 2010 and 2011.

In 2009, Patient C was diagnosed with a genetic blood clotting disorder. Prior to her pregnancy with Baby C, she had suffered two placental abruptions. This resulted in the stillbirth of her baby in 2009, and an emergency caesarean section for the delivery of her daughter in 2011.

Both Patient C and Baby C were considered to be “high risk” during her pregnancy .

Lorna Lynch, BL, for the Medical Council, said the hospital made a complaint about Dr Aziz to the Council following the stillbirth of Baby C.

The letter said Baby C was born with “no signs of life at delivery and did not respond to resuscitation”. It stated Dr Aziz failed to recognise the need for immediate action on the afternoon of April 26, 2014.

Patient C, who began her evidence this morning, said she and her husband decided to try again for another baby in 2013.

When she found out she was pregnant, she said: “We were nervous. I definitely was on account of things that happened, as anyone would be.”

Patient C will continue her evidence this afternoon.