Mum forced to hold her dead baby inside a biohazard bag at Ipswich Hospital, Queensland
A Queensland woman who was forced to keep her miscarried baby in a biohazard bag in a hospital waiting room before being wrapped in sheets and soaked in her own blood says she has lost both her baby and her dignity.
Nikkole Southwell, from Fernvale in the Somerset region of the state, lost her baby in April this year after about 12 weeks. She claims that staff at Ipswich Hospital failed to provide proper aftercare after her painful ordeal.
Ms Southwell said she had a ‘missed miscarriage’ – when the baby has died but the mother has not experienced any symptoms such as bleeding or pain.
She was initially discharged after being told there was little that could be done about her active bleeding, but returned the following evening after waking up in excruciating pain.
She said paramedics placed a small amount of fetus and pregnancy material in a biohazard bag, which she then had to keep in a waiting room.
“I lost my baby and my dignity was taken away,” she said The Queensland Times.
“I felt like my baby meant nothing while he was in the top of my purse in a biohazard food bag for everyone to see.”
Nikkole Southwell, from Fernvale in the Somerset region of the state, lost her baby in April this year after about 12 weeks. She has been left traumatized by the treatment of her miscarriage
Ms Southwell was taken to a room where she says hospital staff used the flashlight from her boyfriend’s iPhone to examine her cervix.
She claims that there was another patient’s blood on the curtains they had drawn around her bed, which fell open and allowed passersby to see in.
The young woman said she was discharged after staff removed a small blood clot and were convinced her cervix had closed.
However, Ms Southwell’s condition deteriorated dramatically on May 4 when she started bleeding and had to undergo emergency surgery.
Doctors performed dilatation and curettage surgeries the next day in an attempt to remove potentially life-threatening pregnancy tissues.
Just over a week later, on May 14, Mrs. Southwell began to bleed profusely again and released a blood clot the size of a 50c coin.
Despite hospital staff saying it was most likely an infection, she asked for a scan – which revealed she may have a uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
The rare condition can cause potentially life-threatening vaginal bleeding.
Ms Southwell was told that if she had AVM she could not risk further surgery to remove the remaining tissue and blood vessels in the event of a rupture.
Ms Southwell claims staff at Ipswich Hospital (pictured) failed to give her adequate aftercare, saying she lost her baby and her dignity during the experience
She eventually went home, as her blood counts were normal, but returned to the hospital after she started having muscle contractions during a panic attack.
Fearing the moves would tear the AVM, she claimed she waited several hours before finally returning home.
After she started ‘flowing’ blood, she returned a second time, where she claimed she overheard staff talking about her and said she was just scared.
At 8 a.m., a specialist said the AVM might be bleeding. She was sent to Mater Hospital in a taxi after staff decided it would be faster than an ambulance.
There, doctors said there was no AVM and her symptoms may have been due to an incomplete dilatation and curettage surgery.
She went to the theater and is now at home recovering from the ordeal.
On May 29, Ms Southwell posted several photos from the Facebook page ‘Angel Babies’.
“The day you died, a part of my soul died with you,” one message read.
Another poem read, “Avoid the triggers they said, they often forget, this one place, my own body, the place I can’t avoid was your only home, now feels like an empty vessel, attached to the memories in everything i do. ‘
Ms Southwell’s treatment at Ipswich Hospital is now under review, with Health Secretary Shannon Fentiman receiving the recommendations.
Ms Southwell claims hospital staff failed to give her adequate aftercare, leaving her wrapped in sheets and in her own blood
She is now afraid to start IVF in hopes of having another baby, fearing that her uterus is ‘ruined’ after two dilation and curettage surgeries.
Ms Fentiman spoke of a ‘heartbreaking situation’.
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to Mrs Southwell and her family,” she said.
“A review is underway and I look forward to seeing all the recommendations from the review.
‘Women’s health is one of my top priorities and I want to ensure that women across Queensland have access to appropriate and compassionate care.’
West Moreton Health Chief Executive Hannah Bloch said a consumer liaison officer had contacted Ms Southwell to review her treatment.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Queensland Health Department and the West Moreton Health Consumer Liaison service.