A 36-year-old pregnant woman passed away during the early hours of today at Hospital Fernando da Fonseca, also known as Amadora-Sintra, after being sent home the previous day.
The woman, of foreign nationality, was reportedly 38 weeks pregnant. She visited the hospital on Wednesday due to an episode of hypertension, but was sent home with a scheduled follow-up appointment.
Hours later, she returned to the Amadora-Sintra emergency room in cardiorespiratory arrest.
Doctors were unable to reverse the situation, and she was pronounced dead in the emergency department around 2 AM on this Friday.
The baby survived but is in critical condition.
The woman, identified as Guinean, had been advised, according to sources, to have an early delivery due to her hypertension. Her body remains at the hospital.
Internal Investigation Launched into Death
Meanwhile, the Local Health Unit (ULS) Amadora-Sintra released a statement to the press regarding the incident.
The ULS asserted that all protocols were followed, but decided to initiate an internal investigation into the circumstances of the pregnant woman’s death, who visited the hospital on Wednesday for a consultation where hypertension was detected.
ULS also reported that the 38-week pregnant woman, originally from Guinea-Bissau, arrived at the emergency unit around 1:50 AM today, transported by an INEM team, in cardiorespiratory arrest.
“An emergency cesarean was performed immediately after her arrival, and the baby was born at 1:56 AM, currently under medical care with a very guarded prognosis,” stated the ULS.
The statement added that the woman had visited the Amadora-Sintra hospital on Wednesday for a routine consultation, during which mild hypertension was diagnosed.
According to clinical protocol, she was referred internally to the Obstetric Emergency, where she underwent several diagnostic tests and was discharged but advised to schedule hospitalization at 39 weeks of gestation.
Marcelo Criticizes Health Management
This news comes hours after the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, criticized the management of the National Health Service (SNS), and a day after the leader of the Socialist Party, José Luís Carneiro, called for the resignation of Health Minister Ana Paula Martins following reports of additional budget cuts requested from hospitals.
Yesterday, Rebelo de Sousa delivered a much-awaited diagnosis of the state of Portugal’s healthcare system. For Marcelo, the management has been “ad hoc,” with “short-term solutions” and “unclear strategies.” However, he continues to support the health minister.
Natacha Nunes Costa with Lusa | 08:22 – 31/10/2025
Speaking at ISCTE, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa admitted that the management of healthcare by the Democratic Alliance Government has been “ad hoc,” with “short-term solutions” and “unclear strategies.”
According to the head of state, the current situation is characterized by “a scattering of decisions, a wear and tear of decisions, short-term or very short-term solutions, leaving the long-term goal undefined,” describing it as “the hardest path.”
“Problems are solved sporadically, here today, there tomorrow—solutions are found that may not hold, and in two months, another problem arises; in three months, another. This includes the financial woes of healthcare, a topic I’ve avoided until now, making life very challenging for any health official,” he added.
Yet, the head of state appears to agree with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in keeping Ana Paula Martins at the helm of the Health Ministry, despite repeated calls for her resignation.
This year has already set a record for babies born in ambulances. To date, more than 60 women have given birth en route to the hospital.
It’s notable that Marta Temido, the then Health Minister under António Costa, resigned, citing she no longer felt able to remain in office, on the day it was revealed that a pregnant woman had died after being transferred from Santa Maria Hospital due to a lack of neonatal care availability.
