Baby Died After Doctors Mistook Mother's Internal Bleeding for 'Trapped Wind', Inquest Told

A baby died after doctors at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, told a mother her life-threatening internal bleeding was likely 'trapped wind,' an inquest has been told. Kimberley Newark, 31, sought medical attention on September 14, 2024, when she was 34 weeks pregnant, experiencing excruciating abdominal pain.

Maternity staff attributed her symptoms to trapped wind and provided painkillers and colic medication. She was later transferred to a ward for observation. However, her condition worsened with severe stabbing pains. When medics noted a significant drop in the baby's heart rate, Newark was rushed into emergency surgery for a caesarean-section.

During the delivery of her daughter, Olivia, doctors discovered that Newark had suffered a rupture of a major blood vessel, the splenic artery, causing her to lose approximately 11 liters of blood. Olivia was born unresponsive and pale, requiring resuscitation. She was subsequently transferred to a specialist unit where she was diagnosed with severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, a condition where the baby's brain lacks sufficient oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth.

Newark was taken to intensive care, placed in a coma, and later transferred with Olivia to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. Olivia was found to have no brain activity and was taken off life support on September 19, 2024, five days after her birth. Newark, who required a blood transfusion, remained hospitalized for a month.

The inquest heard that the couple had raised concerns about Newark's deteriorating health prior to her hospital admission. She had been suffering from anemia, nausea, exhaustion, and severe stomach and back pain. After fainting at home, her partner drove her to the hospital. Upon arrival, she reported extreme discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, and constant severe abdominal pain. Despite her symptoms and low blood pressure, she was told her pain was likely due to trapped wind and was given medication.

Kimberley Newark, pictured with her daughter Olivia, who died after doctors dismissed the mother's extreme pain from internal bleeding as 'trapped wind'.

Less than an hour after being admitted to the ward, her pain intensified and became unbearable, leading her to press her call bell. She stated she was told to be quiet due to other sleeping patients. Shortly after fainting again, tests revealed Olivia's dangerously low heart rate, prompting the emergency C-section.

Dr. Dominic Yu, an A&E consultant who examined Newark upon her arrival, testified that there were no indications of internal bleeding or a splenic artery rupture at that time. Newark and her partner expressed that Olivia was deeply loved and her birth was anticipated with joy. They continue to remember their daughter every day.

The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust's maternity services are currently under review, following an investigation commissioned by former health secretary Wes Streeting. This broader review, chaired by Donna Ockenden, will examine over 1,000 family cases from 2018 onwards. The review was initiated after approximately 15 bereaved families reported concerns regarding baby deaths between 2021 and 2023. Newark and her partner stated their grief was compounded by learning of other families' similar losses.

A spokesperson for the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged the loss of Olivia and the resulting trauma and grief for the family, stating that two reviews of Olivia's care had been conducted. The inquest hearing was ongoing.