The Amadora-Sintra Local Health Unit has opened an internal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death in the early hours of this morning of a 36-year-old pregnant woman who was at the hospital on Wednesday for a consultation, ‘during which hypertension was detected’.
As reports have explained, the woman – 38 weeks pregnant (a point at which early delivery poses few risks) was sent to the obstetrics emergency department, “however, as her condition was not considered serious, she was sent home with instructions to return at 39 weeks for delivery”.
In other words, she was sent home with high blood pressure, notwithtanding the risks this poses in pregnancy, and told to return the following week.
“Hours later, the woman called 112 with chest pains”, writes SIC Notícias.
“When INEM arrived, she was already in cardiorespiratory arrest. She was transported to Amadora-Sintra hospital already dead”.
The miracle of technology saw to it that she was kept ventilated in order for doctors to perform an emergency cesarean on the baby, which will have been already in distress.
The baby was ‘reanimated’, writes SIC (brought back to life) and is currently fighting for life in the hospital’s neo-natal intensive care unit (see update below).
The mother came to Portugal from Guinea-Bissau due to her health problems, adds SIC. She had her first consultation in September, thus the consultation last Wednesday was not her first.
The hospital has not made any comment about the tragedy, but the Amadora-Sintra Local Health Unit (ULS Amadora-Sintra) has issued a press release, stating that the woman “was admitted to the emergency room at approximately 1:50 AM today, transported by an INEM (National Institute of Medical Emergency) team, in a state of cardiorespiratory arrest.
“Upon admission to the service, an emergency cesarean section was performed immediately, with the baby being born at 1:56 am. The baby is currently under medical supervision, with a very guarded prognosis.”
The ULS statement describes the woman’s condition at her consultation on Wednesday as “asymptomatic” and refers to the hypertension detected as “mild”.
The ULS (Local Health Unit) states that, according to clinical protocol, the patient was internally referred to the Obstetrics Emergency Department, where, after undergoing several complementary diagnostic tests, she was discharged with instructions for hospitalisation at 39 weeks of gestation, writes Lusa.
The statement adds that the Amadora/Sintra Local Health Unit “deeply regrets” the death of the patient and extends its condolences to the family.
This news comes at a time when the situation for pregnant women in Portugal has been getting increasingly negative press coverage.
It is not a new situation in that the last PS Socialist administration was also dogged with issues surrounding pregnancy care. Indeed, former health minister Marta Temido resigned after a pregnant woman died being transferred from one hospital to another.
By coincidence the pregnant woman was also a foreign national.
*UPDATE: Saturday brought the sad news that the baby has not survived.
Sources: LUSA/ SIC
