Maternity patients call for change after Ipswich Hospital miscarriage horror

A Queensland woman is traumatised after being forced to sit with her miscarried baby in a biohazard bag in a hospital waiting room, while sitting in her own blood. GRAPHIC CONTENT

Ipswich woman Nikkole Southwell claims she received inadequate and humiliating care throughout a traumatic miscarriage.

A Queensland woman has been left traumatised after being forced to sit with her miscarried baby in a biohazard bag in the waiting room at Ipswich Hospital while wrapped in sheets and sitting in her own blood.

Nikkole Southwell’s shocking treatment is now under review with recommendations to be sent to new Health Minister Shannon Fentiman.

Ms Southwell, from Fernvale, lost her baby at about 12 weeks in April this year.

She was taken to Ipswich Hospital by ambulance and claimed she was put into an emergency room where the curtains were not properly closed for privacy.

There was someone else’s blood on them and hospital staff used her partner’s phone torch to look at her cervix before discharging her.

She claimed a series of bungles with her follow-up care then ensued.

Ms Southwell said she had experienced a “missed miscarriage” – a miscarriage not accompanied by usual symptoms — and was told at Ipswich Hospital’s emergency department there was nothing they could do without active bleeding.

Nikkole Southwell experienced horrific care from Ipswich hospital after her miscarriage. Picture: David Clark

The next evening, Ms Southwell said she woke to the “worst pain I had ever experienced”.

During the ambulance ride to hospital she said staff put a small amount of foetus and pregnancy matter she had expelled into a biohazard bag.

She said she then held her own foetus as she sat in the waiting room, with two sheets wrapped around her waist, sitting in her own blood.

“I lost my baby and my dignity was taken,” she said.

“I felt like my baby meant nothing while it sat in the top of my handbag in a biohazard bag for all to see.”

After waiting several hours, Ms Southwell said she was examined with her partner’s phone torch in a room where she alleged the curtains were stained with another patient’s blood.

Nikkole Southwell alleges she received inadequate care at Ipswich Hospital throughout her missed miscarriage. Picture: Supplied/Nikkole Southwell

“I could see people walk past and looking through the gaps of the curtains,” she said.

Ms Southwell said she was discharged after staff removed a small blood clot and concluded her cervix was closed.

On the morning of May 4, Ms Southwell started haemorrhaging.

She had a dilatation and curettage surgery (D & C) at Ipswich Hospital the next day — the procedure involves expanding the cervix to remove remaining pregnancy tissues.

On May 14, she said she woke up to heavy bleeding and a blot clot “bigger than a 50 cent coin” but the hospital said it was most likely an infection.

“I begged for them to scan me,” she said.

On May 14 Ms Southwell said she woke to heavy bleeding as well as a blood clot "bigger than a 50c coin". Picture: Supplied/Nikkole Southwell. Taken at Ms Southwell's home.

During the scan Ms Southwell, who weighed 45kg by this time, was told she may have had a uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) — mis-formed blood vessels in the uterus — and that leftover pregnancy tissue could be life-threatening.

She said she was told if she did have AVM she could not have further surgery or medications to express the remaining tissue because of the risk of a rupture.

“I was a sitting duck while they worked out how to treat me and awaited a scan by a Mater (Hospital) specialist.

She said she was told her blood levels were stable but said she “didn’t feel right”.

Ms Southwell said she was home only for a few hours before she had a panic attack.

This caused muscle contractions so she returned to hospital, afraid the contractions might rupture the AVM, waited for hours without being seen before returning home.

She then started “gushing” blood and went back to hospital about 1am.

On May 14 Ms Southwell said she woke to heavy bleeding as well as a blood clot "bigger than a 50c coin". Picture: Supplied/Nikkole Southwell. Taken at Ms Southwell's home.

“I could hear them talking about me and laughing, saying I just had anxiety,” she said.

Ms Southwell said she spoke to a specialist about 8am who told her the AVM could be haemorrhaging.

Staff sent her by taxi to the Mater Hospital, saying it would be quicker than an ambulance.

A scan at the Mater Hospital revealed she had no AVM, instead her symptoms were possibly the result of an incomplete first D & C operation.

She had a second D & C operation the next day and is now recovering.

West Moreton Health Chief Executive Hannah Bloch said his thoughts were with Ms Southwell and her family.

“Our consumer liaison office has reached out to Ms Southwell to begin a review of her treatment,” she said.

“However, out of respect for patient confidentiality, we do not comment publicly on the individual circumstances of a patient’s treatment.”

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said it was a heartbreaking situation.

“I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Ms Southwell and her family,” she said.

“There is a review under way and I look forward to receiving all recommendations from the review.

“Women’s health is one of my top priorities and I want to ensure that women right across Queensland have access to appropriate and compassionate care.”

Ipswich mum Breanna Tottle. Picture: Breanna Tottle

Ms Southwell’s experience follows that of Ipswich Hospital patient Breanna Tottle, who earlier this year called for the hospital to be held accountable for treatment during her own missed miscarriage nightmare.

“The early pregnancy service and emergency department failed us both, nearly costing both our lives,” Ms Tottle said.

Together they were now calling for women with similar experiences to speak out.

Ms Southwell said she no longer wanted to go through IVF because of the experience.

“I stay awake at night wondering if now my uterus is ruined for having two D & Cs,” she said.

Ms Tottle encouraged any women with similar experiences to file complaints with Ipswich Hospital and seek help through Maternity Choices Australia.

“If we keep pushing surely someone will listen,” she said.