Expectant mother Renuka Gurahoo was left to deliver her premature baby at the Mt Hope Women's Hospital on her own.The baby which was just 23 weeks old lived for ten minutes, took a deep gasp and died in her mother's arms in the wee hours of December 8. Almost a week after the ordeal, Gurahoo, 27, and her common-law husband Ravi Gajadhar, 28, are yet to be contacted by the hospital with information on the baby's death and the whereabouts of the baby's body.
Gurahoo said while she would have liked to have had a funeral service for her baby, she could not say if the hospital had disposed of the body or had it at the mortuary.Unable to cope with the tragic passing, the Piarco couple has sought legal advice and is calling on Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan to launch a full-scale investigation into the baby's death.Around midnight on December 7, Gurahoo said she was taken to the emergency department of the hospital after experiencing slight bleeding and pains.
Gurahoo was attended to by a junior doctor, who claimed that the baby was not in any distress.Shortly after, Gurahoo said, the doctor instead of using her hands, inserted a long silver forceps inside of her–not once but twice.On the first occasion the forceps was used, Gurahoo said, she felt something "snapped inside" of her while it was being taken out and her pains began to intensify. Then she started to bleed profusely.
The doctor said she couldn't tell what was wrong because there was too much inside. Gurahoo said she overheard the junior doctor telling another health care worker that her water bag had been ruptured.Minutes later, Gurahoo said a senior doctor was called in."She inserted her fingers inside me and told me that my membrane was damaged and she was feeling something small. I asked her if the baby was going to come down and she said yes."
'Left unattended'
Gurahoo was given an injection and transferred to Room 208 around 2 am for medical attention. She claimed she was, however, left unattended."There was no nurse or doctor in the room. I had to wake up a patient in the room to call the nurse for me. That's when the nightmare began."Writhing in pain, Gurahoo told the nurse that she felt the baby was coming.
"She raised the blanket and told me she was not seeing anything and if the baby has to come out, it would do so on its own. She left me there. Shortly after, I pushed out the baby on the bed. The baby was moving and kicking up between my legs in a pool of blood. The baby was fully formed," a tearful Gurahoo explained.Ten minutes later, Gurahoo said the nurse walked in and cut the umbilical cord.
Gurahoo said she became perplexed that the nurse made no attempt to take the baby to the neonatal intensive care unit to save her life. "She wrapped the baby in a cloth and give her to me. The baby at that time was still alive and moving. She came out fighting to live."Shortly after, Gurahoo said, the baby took a deep gasp and died in her arms."I just started to cry. I took out my camera phone and started to videotape her on the bed."
Gurahoo showed the Sunday Guardian the footage of her touching the dead baby's arms and legs.The nurse allowed Gurahoo and her husband some time with her baby, after which she was taken away.After witnessing the baby's death, Gurahoo said she was left on her own to push out the afterbirth.Within hours, Gurahoo was discharged from the hospital without being told anything about the baby.
Gurahoo said she requested her medical records and files, but was told that she would have to wait a month.On November 28, Gurahoo said, she had been seen by her gynaecologist and an ultra sound showed that the baby was in perfect health and developing well. Gurahoo, however, was advised by her doctor to take bed rest from December 7. Admitting that she had had two previous miscarriages, Gurahoo said the nurses and doctors showed no compassion.
"I heard the night before another woman lost her baby under similar circumstances. The health care system is in a mess. I just want justice for the loss of my child."Gurahoo did not want to be photographed.
Khan awaits response from hospital
Yesterday, Khan said this was the first time he was hearing about the incident and would ask the hospital for a report on the matter.