Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Eamonn Farrell via Photocall Ireland
Portlaoise Hospital

'I was sent home three days before my baby died and told I just had a kidney infection'

A mother has come forward about her experience at Portlaoise Regional Hospital in 2007.

FRANCES KIELY LOST her baby boy just three days after she was sent home from Portlaoise hospital after being told ‘it was probably just a kidney infection’.

She started experiencing pains in her lower stomach and back when she was just 24 weeks pregnant in 2007.

She told the Midlands Today Show on Midlands 103 how she felt the pains were contractions.

Frances said she went to the hospital where they took a swab but didn’t put her on the scanner.

“I was sent home and told to drink more water to flush out the kidney infection.

“They said it was normal to get cramps with a kidney infection. I felt they were contractions but they’re the experts…well they should be the experts.

I thought okay she knows what she’s talking about. She has my urine sample she obviously sees there’s a kidney infection. I’m probably overreacting – I am pregnant, hormones are high – maybe I am over worrying. I’m not going to trust my own instincts, I’m going to trust the doctor because she’s the professional.

Three days later Frances experienced a show of blood at home and when she got to the hospital she was told she was in labour.

“I went in and the midwife was giving me an internal and all of a sudden there was this ‘O God’ … they said they could see my baby’s leg sticking out.

The care I got on the Friday was good – it was just too late.

Her son Warren died after just ten minutes.

I knew he was going but at the same time I spent those ten minutes just staring at him saying to my husband ‘isn’t he lovely, he’s so cute, look how tiny he is’ just the way you would.

“He weighed 1.10 kilograms… There was literally nothing of him.

I took a picture of him with my engagement ring on his wrist as a bangle…that’s how small he was.

‘Not everything was done’

Frances says she believes more could have been done on the Tuesday.

She said she knows of three types of drugs that help stop contractions and she never got an answer as to why she didn’t get them.

“There was a big window there. I went in on the Tuesday and I had him on the Friday. I could have been transferred to the Coombe in that time if they picked up on the contractions. I could have had those injections, he could have had steroids for his lungs.

Things could have had a completely different turn. That’s one of the things that bothers me – not everything was done for him.

“I can’t rest with it the way it is- it just doesn’t seem justified.”

The HSE  has said it will not be commenting as it is in direct communication with the person concerned.

Read: Doctors told pregnant woman her baby had died. Two days later they found a heartbeat>

Your Voice
Readers Comments
27
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.