 Luke died the day after he was born in Ipswich Hospital |
Two hospitals in the East may have put pregnant women and babies at increased risk of superbug MRSA, it is claimed. Colchester hospital and West Suffolk Hospital admit they use spare obstetric beds - used by pregnant women - for other patients in very busy periods.
The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, says this increases the risk of infection.
Earlier this month it was reported that a baby boy Luke Day died at Ipswich Hospital after contracting MRSA.
Hospital staff are still trying to establish the source of an infection which killed a 36-hour-old baby boy.
 |  My view is that it is a potential danger that is avoidable |
This week the BMA's obstetrician and gynaecologist committee said it was concerned of reports of hospitals using obstetric wards for non-obstetric patients.
John Eddy, committee chairman and Essex obstetrician and gynaecologist consultant, said: "We do not know what kind of effect this will have on infection rates.
"My view is that it is a potential danger that is avoidable."
A spokesman for Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Colchester General Hospital, said: "As a short term measure, a six-bed bay on our ante-natal ward was used to create capacity for patients requiring emergency surgery.
'One rare occasion'
"We took this step when we were experiencing exceptionally high numbers of emergency admissions."
A spokesman for West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust said: "On one rare occasion at the end of last year a bay was opened on the maternity ward for a small number of female patients who needed urgent surgery the following day.
"This is a very rare occurrence. However, the Trust accepts that this was far from ideal.
"Measures have since been put in place to ensure this does not happen again and that patients are placed in wards appropriate to clinical need."
Infection source not traced
Luke Day, whose family lives at Woodbridge, Suffolk, died at Ipswich Hospital in February after contracting the hospital superbug MRSA.
He is thought to be the youngest victim of the infection, which has affected hospital patients throughout Britain.
Doctors suspect that he became infected when the bug entered the bloodstream through his umbilical cord.
"The source of the infection has not been traced. Investigations are continuing," a hospital spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
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