Mum’s deadly discovery in medical notes after ‘traumatic’ childbirth
A mum who contracted deadly sepsis during the birth of her baby boy says she only found out later by reading her own medical notes.
Lydia Powell, 22, was induced at 39 weeks pregnant and started to display signs that something was wrong.
Her white cell count was raised, along with protein levels from her liver - but the hospital decided she did not have an infection.
Lydia was finally treated for sepsis more than 12 hours after her blood test results came in at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, South Wales.
But she did not find out she had actually suffered from sepsis until she was discharged from hospital and read her own notes.
"I’m angry that I only found out I had sepsis after I went home and started reading through my discharge notes,” Lydia, who is proud mum to baby Henry, said.
"I feel that I should have been told about sepsis and why I was receiving the treatment I did.
"My labour was particularly traumatic. I was already an anxious person and while I try not to think about it, what happened in hospital and the thoughts of what might have happened to Henry or myself has caused more anxiety.
“While in a way I feel lucky, the impact that the condition has had on me cannot be overstated.”
Lydia suffered an acute kidney injury during her labour but little Henry was born healthy on June 17 last year. They were discharged two days later.
An internal investigation was carried out after the new mum instructed Irwin Mitchell Solicitors.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board admitted failings in Lydia’s care.
It acknowledged there was a delay in implementing a sepsis pathway which resulted in a 12 hour delay in administering the correct antibiotics.
The board found that it was likely Lydia would not have suffered her acute kidney injury if she was given the correct treatment earlier.
“It remains very hard to look back on everything that has happened. In a way I know I’m lucky as others with sepsis have much worse outcomes than me,” Lydia said.
“However, the last year or so has been incredibly difficult."
Lydia is now planning on taking part in a 10k run to raise money for the charity UK Sepsis Trust.
“We have apologised for the failings in care identified through the investigation,” a spokesman from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said this week.
“Timely and effective Sepsis care remains a priority for the Health Board and is subject to ongoing monitoring. We continue to take every opportunity to promote good sepsis care across the Health Board including at the forthcoming World Sepsis Day.”
Australscope
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
