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Medical Negligence
Delayed treatment leads to Group B Strep Diagnosis
After delayed treatment, a baby girl developed severe sepsis due to a Group B Strep infection, persistent hypertension and bacterial meningitis.
Rosie*’s mother had carried Group B Strep during her first pregnancy. During her second pregnancy, she experienced a number of episodes of reduced foetal movement which were reported to medical staff. Ultrasounds showed evidence of reduced blood flow and increased umbilical arterial Dopplers.
At one point, Rosie’s mother attended hospital for a scan and was advised by a Senior Registrar that she may need to be induced as a result of the episodes of reduced foetal movement. A plan was made for an additional scan and the induction of labour a few days later. Rosie’s mother was thereafter advised by her Midwife that she would be transferred to the labour ward for induction immediately after the scan.
The same day, Rosie’s mother attended the delivery unit for the scan and was directed to the labour suite. Upon arrival, a CTG was undertaken which showed reduced variability and no accelerations. Rosie’s mother was reassured yet, thereafter, was advised by a Senior Registrar that she would need to be induced immediately. After some time, Rosie’s mother was advised that there was no availability on the delivery unit and was therefore transferred to the antenatal ward. Rosie’s mother raised concerns with regards to reduced foetal movement but was advised that staff were dealing with emergency cases.
Less than a day later, Rosie’s mother was advised that she would be transported to the labour suite, yet no transfer took place. Rosie’s mother was not transferred until until the evening of the next day.
A further 24 hours later, the induction process began. Rosie’s mother was advised that they would allow four hours for contractions yet, as there was no progress, medication was administered and was gradually increased. Rosie was thereafter born that evening.
Rosie was born in poor condition and was struggling to clear mucus from her throat. She was therefore transferred to resus for CPAP and was put onto a ventilator. She was later diagnosed with severe sepsis due to Strep B and persistent pulmonary hypertension and bacterial meningitis.
As a result of her meningitis caused by Group B Strep infection, Rosie now experiences weakness in her legs below her knees and continues to suffer with bronchitis requiring prophylactic antibiotics. She remains under the care of the Neurodevelopmental Clinic. Her long-term prognosis is not yet known.
Group B Strep in Pregnancy
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacteria which lives in the intestines, rectum and vagina of around 2-4 in every 10 women in the UK (20-40%).
If GBS is found in your urine, vagina or rectum (bowel) during pregnancy, or if you have previously had a baby affected by GBS infection, you should be offered antibiotics in labour to reduce the small risk of this infection to your baby.
If GBS was found in a previous pregnancy and your baby was unaffected, you can have a specific swab test (known as the ECM test) to see whether you are carrying GBS when you are 35-37 weeks pregnant. If the result is positive, you will be offered antibiotics in labour. If the ECM test result is negative, then the risk of your baby developing early-onset GBS infection is low.
Early identification of the signs and symptoms of these infections are essential for early diagnosis and treatment. Most early-onset GBS infections can be prevented.
We are proud to partner with the charity Group B Strep Support, which works to improve awareness and prevention of Group B Strep, and provide information and support to affected families. This will help in ensuring the safety of pregnant mothers and newborn babies and will hopefully prevent future cases like those of Rosie from occurring.
How Slater and Gordon is helping
To help Rosie’s family with their claim, our expert team of medical negligence solicitors gained expert opinion from various medical specialists, in different medical fields including midwifery, obstetrics, neonatology, neurology and microbiology.
This has been undertaken to understand what treatments and processes should have been undertaken, and what may have happened to Rosie had her mother been provided with the correct care and treatment.
In light of Rosie’s mothers previous experience of GBS, if she had been advised to perform an anorectal swab as well as low vaginal swab at 36 weeks gestation, Group B Strep may then have been diagnosed and anti-biotics would have been offered during labour. Rosie would have then been monitored closely post-birth and would have received the appropriate treatment. The development of sepsis, persistent pulmonary hypertension and bacterial meningitis would therefore have been avoided.
If Rosie’s mother had tested negative, yet induction of labour had commenced as planned on 26 May 2021, Rosie would have been delivered and diagnosed earlier. She would then have received prompt treatment by way of broad-spectrum IV antibiotics, which would have started treating the GBS infection immediately. The subsequent sepsis, persistent pulmonary hypertension and bacterial meningitis would have been avoided.
How we can help
Our medical negligence team contains experts and specialists in many different areas, including solicitors with a special interest in GBS cases, such as Emma Doughty, who has worked on several GBS cases and sits on Group B Strep Support’s expert Legal Panel.
If you or your baby has been affected by GBS infection and you believe that the care or treatment that you received from your medical professionals may have been sub-standard, please contact us on 0330 107 4992 or online.
*name changed for anonymity
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