A MUM’S “beautiful” newborn baby died in her arms after she was repeatedly told there was “nothing to worry about.”
Louise Martin’s son Joshua was diagnosed with group B strep (GBS) three days after he was born and the infection left to severe complications including brain damage.
GBS is the most common cause of infection in newborns in Britain which can be passed to babies around birth.
Mum Louise, 39, had become concerned about her baby started grunting and was not interested in feeding – signs of a GBS infection.
After being sent home from Lister Hospital in Stevenage a day after Joshua was born, Louise called the hospital twice with her concerns but was told there was nothing to worry about.
At two days old, Joshua was re-admitted to Lister Hospital where he was diagnosed with GBS meningitis and put on a ventilator.
Joshua suffered severe brain damage and lived for eight months with severe complications before he died in his mum’s arms.
Louise, of Hitchin, Herts., said: “The pain of losing Joshua is still as raw now as it was then, we loved him so much.
“We have lost our beautiful son, our daughters a brother who they adored, and grandparents have lost their only grandson.
“I believe that Joshua would still be here with us and experiencing a happy, healthy life if the GBS infection was diagnosed earlier.
“It was only after researching more about it that I realised how common GBS is. It’s difficult to understand why more isn’t done to identify and prevent it causing infection.”
Louise, who has two daughters, is calling for mums to be routinely tested for group B Strep towards the end of their pregnancy so care plans can be adjusted if needed.
It comes after Irwin Mitchell secured her an undisclosed settlement from the Hospital Trust in connection with Joshua’s care. The Hospital Trust did not admit liability.
However, a root cause analysis investigation report by the Trust found the management and communication of Louise’s Group B Strep carriage status was “inappropriate”.
Louise added: “While it’s too late for Joshua I just hope that by speaking out I can help raise awareness around GBS.
“If I can help others by sharing what happened to our family then maybe Joshua’s death won’t have been totally in vain.
“I wasn’t advised about GBS in any of my other pregnancies and the only thing I remember during my pregnancy with Joshua was a midwife asking at an antenatal appointment if I’d previously been diagnosed with GBS, which I hadn’t.
“I didn’t know what GBS was at the time, so I didn’t think more of it. I’ve always been nervous during my pregnancies as a result of losing our first baby but my pregnancy with Joshua felt relatively straightforward.
“However, something didn’t feel right in my labour.
“Shortly after Joshua was born, he began grunting and wasn’t feeding.
“However, each time I tried to raise concerns I was told there was nothing to worry about. Even when we were sent home, I felt something wasn’t right.”
Louise and her husband also had a stillborn son in 2012 caused by a blood clot in his brain, resulting in Louise’s subsequent pregnancies being classed as high-risk.
Louise was admitted to hospital on New Year’s Eve 2020 and due to Covid restrictions she was alone and was induced that afternoon.
That night she said she heard doctors discussing concerns about her condition and whether she needed antibiotics.
Joshua was born just after 6am on New Year’s Day 2021. Following an initial feed, within a couple of hours of being born Louise was concerned that Joshua had started grunting, struggling with his body temperature, and not interested in feeding.
The pair were allowed home on the afternoon of 2 January. However, once home Louise continued to be concerned.
She called the hospital that night but said she was told there was nothing to be concerned about.
The following morning, Joshua, who had not woken up in the night for a feed and was floppy and cold, was taken back to hospital.
On 4 January, 2021, Joshua was admitted to neonatal intensive care and diagnosed with GBS infection.
Following his diagnosis Louise asked to be tested to see if she carried GBS, which came back positive, after initially being told it was negative.
Doctors believed Joshua may not survive but he was discharged from hospital in February 2021.
He spent around six weeks in hospital before being discharged to Keech Hospice and then allowed home.
Joshua continued to live with severe complications and died in his mum’s arms aged eight months.
His death certificate said he died from respiratory failure as a result of a severe brain injury following GBS infection.
Louise instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate their care under East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, which runs Lister Hospital.
Alexandra Highfield, from Irwin Mitchell, said: “While usually harmless to the estimated one in four women who carry the bacterium, a small number of babies will fall seriously ill, or even die, when exposed to GBS bacteria around birth.
“However, a simple test can be conducted to highlight whether an expectant mum is a carrier of the bacteria, and her care plan can be adjusted to ensure intravenous antibiotics are provided throughout labour to prevent the baby developing an infection.
“Understandably Louise and the rest of her family remain devastated by Joshua’s death and the circumstances surrounding it.
“While nothing can make up for the pain they continue to endure, we’re pleased that we’ve at least been able to secure this settlement allowing them to put the legal case behind them.
“What happened to Joshua vividly highlights to dangers of GBS infection and the need for everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms.”
Jane Plumb MBE, chief executive of the charity, Group B Strep Support, added: “Understanding group B Strep and the availability of antenatal testing can make a life-changing difference. Knowledge is power, and in the case of group B Strep, it is a vital tool that can prevent tragedies like the loss of Joshua.”
How common is Group B Strep?
An average of two babies in the UK develop a GBS infection each day, according to GBS Support.
Most recover fully but one baby each week dies from the infection, and one baby each week recovers with a life-changing disability.
Around 800 babies a year develop Group B Strep infection, around 50 babies will die and 75 will survive with a long-term disability.
What are the signs of a Group B Strep infection?
The NHS advises parents to dial 999 or go to A&E if a baby develops the following symptoms:
Most early-onset infections show within the first 12 hours of birth but can develop up to seven days after.
Late-onset infections are much rarer but can develop up to three months after birth.
What is the treatment?
If a baby tests positive for GBS, they will be given intravenous antibiotics. The majority of babies can be effectively treated with penicillin.
Some will require treatment from a specialist neonatal intensive care unit.
