A Inspeção Geral de Atividades em Saúde (IGAS) has initiated an inspection regarding the birth of a baby in the reception of Hospital Eduardo Santos Silva in Gaia.
The inquiry aims to assess the events that transpired last Saturday when a woman gave birth in the hospital’s reception area while requesting a stretcher, two hours after her initial discharge from the emergency department.
The father of the baby, Frederico Fernandes, has spoken to several television channels, disputing some statements made by the hospital’s clinical director, who had dismissed the possibility of “medical negligence.”
“The baby fell, evidenced by two ultrasounds and a CT scan”
In response to claims by Ana Margarida Fernandes, suggesting there are no witnesses to the baby falling during birth, Frederico told SIC Notícias that “this is absurd.”
“If they review the footage, it should be clear. The baby fell, evidenced by two ultrasounds, and today a CT scan is scheduled to check for any hemorrhaging. So far, no hemorrhage has been detected but, unfortunately, he was born on the hospital floor,” explained Frederico, who had hoped for a dignified birth for his third child.
Frederico stated his wife initially visited the emergency department on Saturday afternoon but was sent home because the doctors believed the baby was not yet due.
“She arrived at the hospital at 5 p.m. and was attended to, but at 6 p.m. they sent her home. I monitored the contractions, and by 8 p.m. we returned. Upon arrival, we requested help and a stretcher, and all the patients in the reception were also upset,” he recounted.
Frederico further noted that a nurse appeared with a wheelchair and asked her to sit, but “a minute or a minute and a half later, the child was born,” and he had to take the baby himself as “there were no nurses present.”
From that moment, when his wife and newborn were taken to the delivery room, they began receiving “five-star treatment.”
Baby “is well,” and “the medical team is at peace”
On Monday morning, the clinical director of the hospital, Ana Margarida Fernandes, assured journalists that the baby “is well” and has been discharged from the neonatology service. The infant is currently “with the mother,” following “the usual procedure for a newborn three days old.”
Concerning allegations of lack of assistance, the director asserted that “the medical team is at peace,” denying any “medical negligence.”
Regarding the newborn’s fall onto the reception floor, Ana Margarida Fernandes initially stated there are “no witnesses” to such an incident. Nonetheless, considering the possibility, the baby “was immediately evaluated and admitted to the Neonatology Service” for monitoring.
Baby reportedly struck head on hospital reception floor
Frederico Fernandes previously revealed to Correio da Manhã that his son hit his head on the reception floor due to lack of assistance.
“I was the one who picked the baby up from the floor,” he stated, confirming that he has filed complaints with the Users’ Office and the Medical Association over the “undignified treatment” his wife endured.
