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NUH says sorry to woman who lost unborn child, admits it ‘should have done more’

SINGAPORE — The National University Hospital (NUH) has apologised to the expectant mother who lost her unborn baby after waiting at the hospital’s emergency medicine department for two hours, stressing that it “should have done more to provide closer monitoring and care”.

NUH says sorry to woman who lost unborn child, admits it ‘should have done more’
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  • NUH issued an apology to a patient who lost her unborn baby
  • It said the woman's two-hour wait at its emergency unit "should not have been the case"
  • The woman's vital signs were found to be within normal parameters and her bleeding had subsided on arrival
  • Its CEO said the hospital's teams have met the patient's family on March 23 to address their concerns
  • NUH will review the process of managing expectant patients admitted into its emergency unit so that such incidents do not happen again

SINGAPORE — The National University Hospital (NUH) has apologised to the expectant mother who lost her unborn baby after waiting at the hospital’s emergency medicine department for two hours, stressing that it “should have done more to provide closer monitoring and care”.

In a media statement released late on Wednesday (March 23) night, Professor Aymeric Lim, chief executive officer of the hospital, gave more details about what happened on March 15.

The woman was admitted to the emergency department at around 10.35pm for bleeding.

Medical workers attended to her immediately when she arrived and that her bleeding had “subsided en route to the hospital”, he said.

She was thus deemed to be stable.

During the emergency department's triage, where patients are examined in order to decide which ones are the most serous cases to be treated first, it was noted that the woman’s vital signs were within normal parameters.

“She indicated that she was experiencing mild pain, and was assessed as (two out of 10) on the pain score by our nurses,” Prof Lim said.

She waited for two hours and this should not have been the case in this circumstance, and we are sorry
Professor Aymeric Lim, chief executive officer of National University Hospital

Prof Lim added that the emergency department was experiencing a high patient load at that time. "We accord high priority to patients who need medical attention and she was placed next to the nursing station for closer visual monitoring.” 

Patients who are in labour are admitted to the labour ward upon their admission to the emergency department.

As the woman was in early labour, arrangement was made to transfer her to the labour ward, which was full at that time, as soon as possible.

“She waited for two hours and this should not have been the case in this circumstance, and we are sorry,” Prof Lim said.

“During this time, we should have done more to provide closer monitoring and care, as well as to update the patient of her condition and the transfer.”

He also said that at the labour ward, the woman was “immediately attended to and cared for by a team led by two senior consultants”.

However, an ultrasound scan showed the “absence of a foetal heartbeat, caused by placental abruption, a rare and unpredictable pregnancy complication”.

It has been challenging to maintain the hospital’s high standards for care amid the Covid-19 outbreak given the high numbers of patients admitting into the hospital for both emergent Covid-19 and non-Covid clinical conditions.
Professor Aymeric Lim, chief executive officer of National University Hospital

Prof Lim noted that all Covid-19-positive pregnant women over 36 weeks are admitted to three public hospitals for their care and delivery.

“Despite this added workload, we have a duty of care towards our patients. It has been challenging to maintain the hospital’s high standards for care amid the Covid-19 outbreak given the high numbers of patients admitting into the hospital for both emergent Covid-19 and non-Covid clinical conditions,” he explained.

On the night of the incident on March 15, NUH was managing three other expectant patients with Covid-19 in the emergency department and labour ward, Prof Lim said.

“The hospital staff in both the emergency department and labour wards were kept very busy having to manage all these urgent cases. 

“We will review the process of managing expectant patients who are admitted into (the) emergency department when the labour ward is full so that such incidents do not happen again.”

Prof Lim added that the hospital is "deeply saddened by the family’s loss" and will continue to provide care and support to them during this difficult period. 

“We met the family on March 23, together with our clinical and nursing leads, and appreciate the opportunity to address their concerns directly. We will do our best to support them and ensure the patient’s well-being.”

In its last public statement, NUH had urged the public not to speculate on the incident, following a social media post by the woman’s husband on Facebook that detailed the family’s ordeal.

The man’s post went viral on social media.

The husband claimed that his wife was left unattended at the emergency department for around two hours after a nurse had helped to set up a monitoring device to check her vital signs.

He also alleged that he and his wife were not informed by anyone that there was no bed in the maternity ward and no doctors or nurses went to check on his wife’s condition.

Before his post went viral, the man had written a separate note on Facebook in memory of their child, whom they named Titus.

The baby was cremated at Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium on March 16. 

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NUH death pregnant baby A&E Hospital

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