At least five babies have been born in ambulances, A&E departments and hospital reception areas amid the Devon maternity scandal, the Mirror understands.
The birthing wing at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple temporarily shuttered in August due to staff shortages, forcing hundreds of women to make the two-hour-long journey to Exeter to give birth.
Births en route to Exeter
Several months on, two babies have been born in the back of ambulances, two were delivered in A&E and another arrived in a hospital reception. The Mirror understands several of the mums were en route to the hospital in Exeter when they had to pull over and call 999.
Local antenatal teacher Catherine Mchomvu is supporting the women impacted. She told the Mirror: “Everything I feared would happen when the closure was announced is now playing out – it’s heartbreaking.
“Giving birth is already a time fraught with nerves, and now women are having to give birth on the road, in an A&E department or hospital reception area - it’s incredibly traumatic and takes the choice away from women.
“The anxiety among expectant parents is massive and is growing, because now their fears are happening – instead of ‘what if’ they’re saying ‘what now?’ In Devon we’re cut off, and it makes you feel very very isolated when you're in that position of vulnerability and stuck in a post code lottery – it’s so unfair.”
Stillbirth and political pressure
It comes just days after a baby was stillborn after the mum had to travel to Exeter to give birth. Katy Quick, of the Maternity Matters campaign group, told a council meeting: “She [the mum] had reduced movements at 35 weeks pregnant and wasn’t offered transport help, despite being high risk. [She] couldn’t get to Exeter immediately and when she did as soon as she could, while juggling a toddler and childcare as a full-time working family... she was told her baby was dead.”
During the same meeting, council leader Julian Brazil likened the crisis to a Dunkirk for mums, saying: “Every expectant mother in North Devon is being treated like a second class citizen. The Health Secretary and PM have finally heard our pleas, we expect them to reopen the unit in days not weeks.”
North Devon MP Ian Roome said: “I've even spoken to women from North Devon who fear they should opt to have a caesarean section, because they believe surgery will be safer than a road journey during natural labour. This is taking birthing choices away from women.
“Expecting women to travel two hours across Devon to give birth is completely unacceptable. We must get extra doctors in place and NHS maternity services re-opened at North Devon District Hospital as soon as possible. This is a race against the clock, and this is my top priority.”
Classes and hospital response
Women in Barnstaple have been offered classes on how to give birth in a car due to the closure. These include advice on positions to potentially help slow labour down, and essentials to have in the car like towels, blankets and water. Women and birthing partners are being advised to call an ambulance immediately after pulling over.
More than 150 women have given birth at North Devon’s Exeter hospital since the closure. Andy Burnham committed to reopening the unit during his first PMQ’s on September 2. The next council meeting to discuss readiness to reopen is set to take place on October 12.
A spokesperson for North Devon District Hospital said: “We have seen a very small number of births take place before a midwife or obstetrician arrived to support the birth, but this is similar to the number that would occur normally when birthing services at NDDH are operating.
“Because the number is so low, we cannot provide further details, including locations, as this could risk identifying individual patients. There have been no confirmed safety incidents directly related to the temporary suspension. This provides reassurance that support put in place for women and birthing people during the temporary suspension is supporting safe care.
“We recognise the additional worry and uncertainty the temporary suspension is causing for women, birthing people and families in North Devon. Women and birthing people should continue to follow their personalised birth plans and contact our 24/7 maternity triage service early if they think they may be in labour or have urgent concerns.”
