A baby girl, Ayla Newton, died after a delayed C-section at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, which could have saved her life, a coroner has concluded. Ayla was born on January 26, 2023, with severe health issues, including oxygen deprivation, and died 13 days later after being transferred for specialized care.
The inquest revealed that heart abnormalities were detected on CTG monitoring nearly 90 minutes before birth. However, obstetrician Dr. Muhammad Sandow did not act immediately, assuming the readings would stabilize. Coroner Margaret Taylor said that an immediate C-section would have been the safest option, and delays in performing the surgery “contributed to your daughter’s poor outcome and death.”
While the coroner ruled there was no neglect by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, she criticized the failure to act swiftly, noting the interpretation of CTG results requires specialist knowledge.
Ayla’s parents, Ms. Lord and Mr. Newton, expressed frustration that they had not received a formal apology from the hospital, despite it admitting failings in care. They criticized staff for ignoring repeated concerns from midwives, which they believe could have prevented Ayla’s death.
Dr. Sandow later apologized, saying, “I should not have waited.” The family is pursuing legal action against the hospital and chose to deliver their second child at a different hospital. The hospital has introduced new guidelines in response to the incident.
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