Mum’s cries for help at Campbelltown Hospital ignored

A new mum has slammed her treatment by a hospital that sent her away three times, despite severe pain and bleeding, and took almost a month before operating on her — and she’s not the only one.

A new mother says a hospital refused to take her severe pain and bleeding seriously, sent her away three times and made her suffer for almost a month before finally operating on her.

And mothers’ groups and the state opposition warn it is an example of a wider problem where women are not being heard by the health system.

Chloe-Anne Bateman claims staff at Campbelltown Hospital’s emergency department didn’t take her seriously during her horrific experience with retained placenta products and a large cyst.

Ms Bateman gave birth to son Tayte on December 21 but, after continued pain and excessive bleeding, she presented to the emergency department on February 2 with “severe cramps that felt like contractions”.

“A gynaecologist sent me home with Panadeine Forte and a referral for an ultrasound rather attending to me that day,” she said.

Chloe-Anne Bateman said no-one believed she was in pain after giving birth to Tayte. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Ms Bateman said she was in such pain she could barely tend to her newborn. The ultrasound on February 7 showed retained placenta products but no-one informed her and she returned to the emergency department on February 27 in severe pain.

“I was in extreme pain rocking back and forth, it felt like I was in labour and I was cradling myself,” she said.

“The gynaecologist that was on that night requested my ultrasound form and read the report which showed there was retained products of placenta and I had a complex cyst on my right ovary.”

But she was sent home again.

“That same night I was still in a lot of pain, I called an ambulance. In the ambulance I was immediately given morphine as well as a drip to bring my blood pressure up on the way to the hospital.”

Ms Bateman was admitted after 10 hours and another ultrasound showed retained placenta products and a large cyst. Ms Bateman finally had surgery on March 1 to remove both.

“I had the placenta remains inside me for 10 weeks without anyone doing anything,” she said.

“It could have been over with straight away, but I feel they didn’t want to do anything about it.

‘I think they were understaffed but I also felt like they didn’t take it seriously, I felt belittled.

“It is quite serious to have placenta remains left inside you, you can get really sick from that.”

Chloe-Anne Bateman and her baby Tayte. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Amy Dawes from the Australasian Birth Trauma Association said there was a wider issue of women not being listened to.

“We see that women going to get help are not being believed and that exacerbates the mental health component. Definitely the story of going back to get help and not being believed is a huge issue,” Ms Dawes said.

Opposition health spokesman Ryan Park said: “Nobody knows the pain or discomfort a patient is experiencing better than the actual patient.

“Chloe’s experience is the result of a system that is broken – a system the NSW Government has historically underfunded, understaffed and under-resourced.”

Campbelltown MP Greg Warren said the incident required investigation.

“I am acutely aware the issues at Campbelltown Hospital are largely due to state government neglect and mismanagement – a fact that should not be lost when examining Chloe’s case,” he said.

Kristen Mammone suffered retained placenta complications after the birth of her daughter in 2019.

It took three months before she was diagnosed after suffering a breakdown and serious infection.

Kristen Mammone gave birth at Nepean Hospital in November 2019 and suffered for three months before falling ill with an infection after part of her placenta remained inside her uterus.

Three weeks after her daughter’s birth she was admitted to a mental health unit for a week.

“I had a breakdown but told them to look at my body, not at my head. I had post-natal depression, but I think it was the infection as well from retained placenta,” she said.

“I was in constant pain, I couldn’t change her or feed her properly and no one believed me. I put up with it and put up with it until at three months, when I had fever and shakes.

“I was admitted to hospital, they did an ultrasound and I went into surgery. I still had placenta left over.

“I was not listened to, so many different hospitals and doctors, but they all kept saying it was mental health.”

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