Cape Town - A Nyanga woman alleges medical negligence at Mowbray Maternity Hospital as the reason for the death of her unborn child.
When she was eight months pregnant, Thobeka Daina Rubushe, 27, originally from Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape, would go to Mowbray Maternity Hospital every week for a general check-up and scan.
During her final check-up, on November 17, Rubushe said the doctor failed to do the regular scan and cardiotocography (CTG) to monitor the foetus’ heartbeat.
Instead, after measuring her stomach, the doctor said the baby was fine and she could go home. A caesarean section was scheduled for November 23.
Rubushe said she was due to give birth on November 18, according to her first scan, but a later date was suggested by a senior doctor.
On medical records, doctors noted “there was a discrepancy in menstrual dates vs late ultrasound”.
Apart from concerns about a previous caesarean section, Rubushe was medically fit and did not drink or smoke.
On November 19, she started experiencing contractions during the early hours of the morning.
“I called an ambulance, Netcare 911, and an ambulance was dispatched but I was called again to be informed that the ambulance is at the police station and the paramedics won’t come in where I stay unless they are escorted by SAPS.”
Rubushe then made her way to the ambulance where she allegedly found parked police vans. After 20 to 30 minutes, she was admitted at the hospital.
“The sister was doing the CTG to listen to the heartbeat and she was struggling to find one. I knew that something was wrong, so the sister called a doctor. The doctor also struggled. He just said he’s sorry the baby had died and it’s been quite a while since the baby is gone because he can see that the forehead is starting to peel off,” Rubushe said.
She said she was not told the cause of death.
Rubushe said the hospital wanted to discharge her and give her a date to remove the foetus, but her husband objected to this.
The doctors, afraid an induced labour would cause the old scar to rupture, removed the foetus on Sunday night via caesarean section.
“Now the baby was out, I was taken to a ward with other moms who had given birth to their babies. It was so painful to hear the cries,” Rubushe said.
She said she was not given any counselling apart from a social worker taking down her details.
“I tried to reach out to the doctors to ask questions but they were not available to talk to me. I then asked another doctor because they took the placenta and sent it for testing. She said the test results might be inconclusive and they don't know what happened to my baby.”
Rubushe, who has a two-year-old child, is receiving tele-counselling.
Provincial Health and Wellness Department spokesperson Natalie Watlington said the hospital was aware of the stillbirth, but it was the first time the management team was made aware of the complaint.
“The medical report confirms that the appropriate clinical management was provided to the patient throughout her journey. The care provided at MMH was appropriate for how the patient presented. It is unlikely that we could have prevented the stillbirth.”
The hospital invited Rubushe to address concerns directly with them, and to go through the care she had received when she attended her six-week follow-up.