Grieving mother to sue hospital

Kelly Bass' premature baby died in Treliske Hospital

A mother from St Austell in Cornwall says she plans to sue an NHS trust after she claims hospital staff let her premature baby die without treatment.

Kelly Bass, 26, gave birth after 21 weeks of pregnancy and claims her son, Harvey, showed signs of life but was not treated by Royal Cornwall Hospital.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust said it had followed NHS guidelines.

They stated that babies born up to 22 weeks into a pregnancy were too under-developed to survive.

Ms Bass, who was in labour for five hours, said: "The midwife that delivered him was shocked. He was waving his hands, moving his mouth as if trying to catch his breath.

We know that babies born at younger gestations can have signs of life after birth but that does not mean that they are viable babies

Dr Paul Munyard, neo-natal paediatrician

"She handed him straight to me with no blanket, I passed him to my partner and my dad. He lived for 10 minutes and died in my dad's arms.

"He was a fully-formed baby. He just needed some help."

Dr Paul Munyard, a neo-natal paediatrician at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, said it was better to leave babies born at such a premature stage in the care of their families for the minutes they were alive.

He said: "We know that babies born at younger gestations can have signs of life after birth but that does not mean that they are viable babies.

"What we should offer is supportive care. Rushing in to provide intensive care is not appropriate in such extreme gestations."

In a statement the Royal Cornwall Hospital said: "Medical intervention may be given for a child born between 22 and 23 weeks but only if requested by the parents and only after discussion about likely outcomes."

Harvey Bass was born at 21 weeks and three days.