A midwife dismissed a pregnant mother’s desperate

A midwife dismissed a pregnant mother’s desperate pleas for help for three hours while the unborn baby’s life was in serious danger, a hearing was told today (TUES).

Victoria Azuike, 58, claimed there was nothing wrong with the child and failed to call for a doctor, it is claimed.

Patient Mrs A was only rushed to surgery when a hospital registrar realised she needed an urgent Caesarean operation.

The mother was admitted to Whipps Cross Maternity Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, with her third pregnancy on March 1, 2001.

A midwife felt something ‘spongy, thick and soft’ in the uterus and transferred her to the delivery suite for examination of the abnormality.

Azuike took over care of Mrs A at 7pm but rejected the mother’s concerns, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

‘She was sure there was no complication to worry about,’ said Rosemary Rollason for the NMC.

‘The mother and her husband felt she acted as if they were making a trauma out of nothing.

‘Mrs A asked her if she would perform an internal examination but she said she could not as they were only undertaken every four hours.

‘Over the three hour period Mr and Mrs A became increasingly anxious.

‘They were worried their unborn child’s life could be at risk.

‘But she was dismissive of their concerns and acted as if Mrs A was over-reacting.

‘

At 9.

55pm a female registrar arrived to examine the pregnant woman and became ‘panic-stricken’, the hearing was told.

Mrs A was immediately taken to surgery with a prolapsed umbilical cord and the baby girl was delivered successfully at 9.

04pm.

The mother complained to the hospital and the NMC in July 2001 about the treatment they received from midwife Azuike.

Azuike admits she failed to call for the doctor and kept inaccurate records.

She is also accused of giving false information about the reason for not internally examining Mrs A and failing to communicate properly with the patient.

Azuike, from Ilford, east London, claimed in a disciplinary hearing she was afraid to carry out the internal examination because she did not want to upset the mother.

The hearing continues.

ends

addbirth.