Other women may have lost their babies through carbon monoxide leaks

Up until now medical opinion has maintained that unborn children could only be affected by carbon monoxide if their mothers became unconscious through inhaling it.

On the same day in Feburary 1994 that a hospital told Helen Rathor, of Bolton, that her unborn baby was in perfect health, she had the gasfire installed in her home.

Immediate illness

She immediately became ill and shortly afterwards was told her baby had died in the womb.

Three months later gas experts discovered that the gasfire in her and her husband Paul's home had been wrongly fitted.

British Gas admitted in an out-of-court settlement that the faulty installation could have caused the baby's death.

More cases

Dr Alistair Hay, pathologist with the Health and Safety Executive, says in the new edition of the Lancet: "It is likely there are other unreported cases where women lost a baby as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning."

Dr Hay says the dangers to unborn children are greater than previously realised.

After studying the Rathor case and 100 others, he found up to four similar cases which he believes could have been caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from badly-fitted gasfires.

He argues that carbon monoxide detectors, which would cut the gas supply as soon as a leak was detected, should be fitted to all appliances.

Improved training

A spokesman for British Gas Services said the Rathors' fire had been installed by the regional arm of British Gas, and that it was after this that the company had taken over responsibility for installing and servicing appliances.