Sharnae Kelly and Brody Van Dreumel sue Barwon Health over stillbirth

The traumatised parents of baby girl who was stillborn weeks before her due date are suing Barwon Health for medical negligence.

Sharnae Kelly and Brody Van Dreumel by the grave of their daughter Ivy Louise. Picture: Alan Barber

The traumatised parents of a baby girl who was stillborn just weeks before her due date are suing Barwon Health for medical negligence.

Norlane resident Sharnae Kelly,now 24,fell pregnant to then-partner, Geelong’s Brody Van Dreumel, in early 2018.

A statement of claim, filed by Slater and Gordon in the Supreme Court, alleges Ms Kelly was not adequately monitored by Barwon Health throughout the pregnancy, resulting in the death of baby Ivy Louise in utero.

Ms Kelly gained only 2kg between the 14-week mark and when a foetal heart rate could not be detected more than 20 weeks later, according to the claim.

Ms Kelly allegedly reported reduced foetal movement to Geelong hospital on August 20, when she was more than 32 weeks.

This was allegedly confirmed by cardiotocography (CTG).

CTG also allegedly showed an “unprovoked deceleration” in heart rate.

Ms Kelly also attended hospital the following day.

A subsequent antenatal appointment was allegedly arranged by hospital staff for August 30, but the claim alleges no one advised Ms Kelly or Mr Van Dreumel about it.

They allegedly did not contact either parent to find out why the appointment was missed.

At an appointment on September 3, no foetal heart rate was found and an ultrasound confirmed in utero death of the baby.

Ivy Louise was born still on September 6 at 35 weeks.

Sharnae Kelly and Brody Van Dreumel, pictured by the grave of their daughter Ivy Louise, are suing Barwon Health. Picture: Alan Barber

She weighed about 2.1kg and was 44cm long.

Ms Kelly said she still thought of Ivy daily.

It was Ms Kelly’s first pregnancy, and she alleged she “kept raising concerns” with Barwon Health about how she was feeling and reduced movement, but they kept dismissing her.

“Had they have listened to me and monitored Ivy more closely, they would’ve realised something was wrong and they could have induced me before she died,” she said.

“Everything could have been so different.”

Ms Kelly, who has children aged one and two, said being pregnant again was a triggering experience.

She said memories of the stillbirth still affected her “severely”.

“I got diagnosed with severe PTSD, depression and anxiety, and acute grief reaction,” she said.

“I’m constantly exhausted and on edge.”

Mr Van Dreumel, 27, said he looked at his other kids — aged seven weeks and 18 months — and found it upsetting that their older sister Ivy was not here growing up with them.

Ms Kelly and Mr Van Dreumel are suing for psychiatric injuries, pain, suffering and distress they have suffered due to the hospital’s alleged negligence.

The alleged negligence included claims Barwon Health failed to detect or respond adequately or at all to Ms Kelly’s low weight gain; failed to diagnose placental insufficiency;failed to detect the distress of the baby in a timely manner; and failed to deliver the baby in a timely manner.

Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said the organisation was aware of the lawsuit and was unable to comment while it was before court.

Medical law senior legal counsel Shari Liby, from Slater and Gordon Lawyers, said the hospital should have provided better maternity care than what was received, which would have prevented Ivy’s death, and her parents from suffering the related injuries they have.

“Placental insufficiency can impact the growth and wellbeing of a baby,” Ms Liby said.

“We know Sharnae’s placenta was quite small.

“Sadly, the indications that the baby was struggling weren’t, in our view, properly appreciated or timely actioned by the hospital.

“This, we say, is why Sharnae and Brody experienced the tragic loss of baby Ivy.

“The loss of a child is devastating for any parent.

“To know that the death could have been prevented is all the more tragic.”

Originally published as Sharnae Kelly and Brody Van Dreumel sue Barwon Health over stillbirth