A MIDWIFE ignored a Queensland mother’s request for a caesarean because “women say a lot of things when they’re distressed with pain”, an inquest has heard.
Nixon Tonkin died of “catastrophic injuries” shortly after he was born at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in June 2014 at 38 weeks’ gestation.
The baby boy’s skull was fractured when a midwife attempted to free his head from the birth canal during a caesarean.
The inquest into his death heard on Monday that a different midwife, Chloe Simpson, ignored mother Simone Tonkin’s request for a caesarean while she was being induced.
“Women say a lot of things when they’re distressed with pain,” Ms Simpson said.
“She mentioned she wanted a caesarean when she was in pain.
“She said a few times like ‘I’m over it’.”
Ms Simpson said Mrs Tonkin did not raise the issue of a caesarean after she was given morphine and agreed to be taken back to the ward.
She also did not tell anyone else at the hospital about Mrs Tonkin’s request but would have if she “demanded” it.
“It didn’t seem like an issue when she wasn’t in pain,” Ms Simpson said.
“In retrospect I might have gotten a doctor.”
Ms Simpson also claimed she did not remember speaking to father Martin Tonkin, who states he told the midwife his wife and he wanted a caesarean.
Brisbane Coroner’s Court has previously heard trying to free a baby’s head from the birth canal is not an uncommon manoeuvre during childbirth but it didn’t usually cause such catastrophic injuries.
The inquest continues.
Originally published as Mother denied caesarean before baby died
Nixon Tonkin inquest: Mother denied caesarean before baby died have 357 words, post on www.heraldsun.com.au at 2017-03-19 20:18:00. This is cached page on WBNews. If you want remove this page, please contact us.
