Inquest hears baby died soon after birth
A TOP obstetrics consultant has said medics in charge of delivering a baby who died shortly after birth were not negligent.
Dr Dily Anumba said he thought there was no breach of clinical duty in the tragic case of newborn Matthew Steven Garcia Vazques, a Leeds inquest heard.
Diabetic Claire Garcia Vazques gave birth to Matthew, her second child, at Leeds General Infirmary in November 2005.
She had to be given an extended episiotomy (cut) in an attempt to deliver the baby, but Matthew died shortly after birth on November 26 after suffering serious brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.
He was a slightly heavy baby at 9lb 3oz because his mother was a diabetic, but the court heard Mrs Vazques, from Liversedge, had managed her condition carefully and been monitored throughout her pregnancy.
After several hours, during the second stage of labour, it became clear the baby was stuck in a position known as shoulder distortia – a condition said to be impossible to predict.
In a statement read at the inquest, Dr Anumba said around six in 1,000 deliveries involved shoulder distortia which carried a high mortality rate.
Father Steven Garcia Vazques said: "Claire had not ruled out a caesarean section, to be carried out at 38 weeks, but had expressed preference for a natural delivery.
"During the couple of days in hospital leading up to Matthew's death, she had been unwell, vomiting and unable to eat or drink much and she also possibly had a bladder infection."
Mr Garcia Vazques told the court when it became clear the baby was stuck he heard an alarming statement from a member of hospital staff.
He said: "The baby was crowning, the medical team was trying to pull it out and it was at that stage we heard somebody say 'we might have to cut an arm off'.
"Eventually they got Matthew out and started resuscitation, but it was too late."
However a consultant obstetrician Dr Fiona Schnider denied claims the parents had heard medics talking about removing a limb.
She said: "With the benefit of hindsight we would have done a caesarean section and done it sooner but the feeling was that labour was progressing. I don't recollect anybody making such a statement."
Mrs Garcia Vazques's injuries were so severe that she was in intensive care for three weeks. The couple cannot have any more children naturally.
Mr Garcia Vazques said:" We can only hope some good can come out of this so that no-one else should have to go through what Claire has gone through."
Coroner David Hinchliff recorded a narrative verdict summarising the facts and gave the family his sincere condolences.
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