Death of couple's 'miracle' baby after difficult delivery at B.C. hospital prompts review
CBC
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
A North Vancouver couple is demanding answers about the death of their newborn after a traumatic delivery at Lions Gate Hospital last month.
Emilie Negahban and partner Robin Addison say they want a full investigation into the doctor who delivered little Nathaniel on Feb. 3, along with a review promised by Vancouver Coastal Health.
"There were a lot of steps that led to us losing a perfectly healthy baby boy that was a miracle to us. It left us broken, and left us coming home to nothing," Negahban told CBC News.
The baby boy died after multiple attempts to extract him using a vacuum pump when his skull became stuck in his mother's pelvis during the delivery, according to the couple. He was "flat and flaccid" when he was finally delivered by emergency C-section, hospital records show.
"I knew that something was going on. My boy was not crying," Addison said.
Nathaniel was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at B.C. Children's Hospital, where doctors were unable to save him. He died in Negahban's arms.
A cause of death has yet to be determined, but the family says the infant suffered a brain bleed during the delivery.
"The bleed actually got so bad that by the time he passed away in our arms, his head was so swollen that they could barely put a hat on him," Negahban said.
Vancouver Coastal Health told CBC in a written statement that there will be a "comprehensive review" into Nathaniel's death.
"A loss of this nature is heartbreaking for the family and care providers. We are deeply saddened by this incident and share our deepest condolences with the affected family," the statement said.
Negahban, a 31-year-old cervical cancer survivor, described her pregnancy as "a miracle of God," saying she'd been told she would be unable to conceive.
Although she understood there might be some risks because of her medical history, Negahban said her pregnancy was easy, and the fetus appeared to be healthy at every stage of the process.
The baby was due on Feb. 22, but Negahban headed to the hospital on Feb. 2 after her water broke early in the morning. She says she was turned away twice because her cervix wasn't dilated enough, but on the third attempt she insisted, saying she was concerned about the risk of infection.
