Maternity staff misdiagnosed internal bleeding as trapped wind, leading to newborn's death
A pregnant woman was told her severe abdominal pain was likely trapped wind, but she later suffered a splenic artery rupture and her baby died from oxygen deprivation.
On September 14, 2024, Kimberley Newark sought care at Princess Royal Hospital, West Sussex, complaining of excruciating abdominal pain while 34 weeks pregnant. Maternity staff dismissed her symptoms as trapped wind, prescribing Buscopan and paracetamol, and placed her on an antenatal ward. Hours later her condition worsened, revealing a splenic artery rupture that caused massive internal bleeding.
An emergency caesarean section delivered baby Olivia, who was initially unresponsive and later diagnosed with severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, resulting in brain death. Olivia died on September 19, and Kimberley required a month-long hospital stay and a blood transfusion. The inquest, held in Horsham, noted the family's repeated concerns and has spurred a comprehensive review of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust's maternity services, chaired by Donna Ockenden.
Why it matters
The case exposes critical failures in maternity care that can endanger mothers and newborns.
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