A 37-year-old mother from Solihull experienced a serious medical complication in the days following a caesarean section delivery at a Birmingham hospital. She began experiencing severe abdominal pain and swelling shortly after giving birth on 11 January 2023, along with vomiting that included faecal matter. Despite reporting her symptoms to medical staff, she said her concerns were not treated with appropriate urgency.
Doctors examined a CT scan conducted four days after her delivery but misinterpreted the results as indicating a temporary slowing of bowel movements, a common occurrence after surgical procedures. The Trust later acknowledged that this scan was incorrectly reported, and treatment decisions for the patient were based on this erroneous reading. As her condition continued to deteriorate over several days, she eventually developed sepsis, a life-threatening infection.
On 18 January, the patient required emergency surgery to address her perforated bowel, during which a portion of her bowel was removed and a stoma was fitted. University Hospitals Birmingham acknowledged a breach of duty in her care. Since the initial emergency intervention, the patient has undergone additional surgical procedures, including stoma reversal and treatment for complications such as hernias and persistent wound issues.
The patient has reported experiencing ongoing effects from the incident, including chronic pain, fatigue, and digestive difficulties that have impacted her ability to perform daily tasks and care for her children. She is now advocating for improved postpartum care protocols and better responsiveness to women’s health concerns following childbirth. Her legal representatives noted significant failings in how her deteriorating condition was recognized and managed during the critical period after her delivery.
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