Tragic Hamilton parents to open first non-profit ultrasound scanning centre

Nov 12 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON couple are set to open the first ‘not for profit’ ultrasound pregnancy scanning centre in the UK in memory of their daughter, who was stillborn.

The Advertiser revealed last month how Barbara Mane and Robert Devine’s lives had been ruined after their daughter Amalia needlessly died from an umbilical cord accident at Wishaw General Hospital two years ago.

Now they are spearheading a campaign to build the Baby Ultrasound Scanning Centre in Hamilton in a bid to prevent more babies from dying of umbilical cord accidents.

The pioneering facility is aimed at preventing healthy full-term babies dying needlessly from umbilical cord accidents (UCA).

Robert told the Advertiser: “The facility will have endless potential for scanning pregnant mothers.

“Mothers who can afford to pay for the scans will pay, but it won’t be astronomical sums like in the private sector. There will be a fund set up for mothers who can’t pay.

“This fund will be made up of money from mothers who can pay and charitable donations.

“The fund won’t be managed by either Barbara or myself. It will be managed by a group of people on the board.”

The facility, which will be built in the centre of Hamilton, could be up and running by the end of next year and will be based on the Pregnancy Institute in America, a non-profit organisation, whose website is www.preginst.com.

Mothers-to-be will be given quality scans and Non-Stress Tests (CTGs), particularly towards the end of their pregnancy, looking for umbilical cord entanglement.

There will be a scanning room, obstetrician consulting and counselling support information for bereaved parents.

Mothers who have lost their babies in the past to umbilical cord entanglement may be offered home monitoring equipment.

Dr Jason Collins, of the Pregnancy Institute, will monitor results of the CTGs and give a verbal report by telephone to the parents.

Robert has already begun trials.

Gillian and her husband Steve, from Glasgow, have lost two babies to umbilical cord accidents.

They now have a home foetal monitor in place and will begin monitoring around 28 weeks.

The monitor was donated by a woman in the United States who instructed the Pregnancy Institute that she wanted Gillian to be offered it during her next pregnancy.

So far the trials have been hailed a success.

Via internet, Dr Collins receives heart rate strip charts of the baby, which are reviewed by him at his clinic in Louisiana.

Robert said: “There could be women out there today who are eight months pregnant, their baby is entangled by an umbilical cord and they don’t know about it.

“A combination of ultrasound scan and CTGs will detect these babies. Mothers can be informed and given detailed instructions, with a report of their baby’s position and the cord entanglement so they can make an informed choice on the best way for their baby to be delivered.”

Robert and Barbara believe their daughter’s death was avoidable and she would be with them today had medics picked up on warning signs, particularly a deceleration of the baby’s heartbeat during a CTG scan carried out during the 34th week of pregnancy after Barbara reported lack of foetal movement.

Two weeks later a private scan showed the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck in a condition known as Nuchal Cord.

The couple were devastated by their baby’s death and asked the public services Ombudsman to investigate the care Barbara received during her pregnancy.

Now, almost two years after Amalia’s death, the Ombudsman has upheld the couple’s complaints and blasted the care given to them by NHS Lanarkshire.

The couple have launched a campaign to raise awareness of umbilical cord accidents in Scotland, targeting politicians and clinicians.

Barbara said it was vital to get across the message that, with proper monitoring and scanning, many stillbirths are preventable.

“No mother in today’s advanced medical world should carry her baby for nine months only to lose it,” she added.

“The government don’t want to spend money on scanning but what would have happened if we didn’t go for a private scan? We would never have known how our baby died. We would have been told it was just one of those things that can happen.

“But they don’t have a clue about babies in trouble because they don’t scan them late in pregnancy.

“I would also like to point out to mothers that if they have frequent bouts of hiccups, say three times a day, this can be caused by chord compression.

“If there is under-activity or over-activity of the baby then I would urge mothers to get this checked out.”

Robert and Barbara also feel Scots Law has treated them like second class citizens. Said Robert: “Scots Law is a joke when it comes to medical negligence cases, and that is something the Government must address.

“The law in Scotland is designed in favour of institutions and not people like us who only want transparency to prevent this happening to others.”

Anyone interested in the campaign or wishing further advice on the subject can contact Barbara and Robert on amaliadev@aol.com or email Gary Fanning on gfanning@s-un.co.uk or call Gary on 01698 205012.