I followed hospital advice to abort my baby - but they were wrong and she should still be alive today

Kay Young, 29, from Blackpool, desperately wants her daughter to be remembered on the fifth anniversary of her death at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.

What happened?

Treated as a high risk pregnancy, Kay’s older children are small for their age, but otherwise healthy. A 20-week scan at Blackpool Victoria Hospital during this pregnancy identified serious issues with Kay’s daughter, including shortened thigh bones. Follow up tests in Blackpool also revealed shortened upper arms with a referral made for further investigations at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.

An ultrasound led to medical advice that Kay’s unborn daughter Keira was suffering with a fatal form of dwarfism with advice that an abortion would prevent Keira’s suffering. Representing Kay, birth injuries solicitor Diane Rostron said: “Kay and her partner were advised that if they progressed with the pregnancy, Keira would likely die as a result of a fatal form of dwarfism in a matter of days or weeks after birth. The hospital failed to consider any other less devastating diagnosis, despite Kay’s medical history with two older children who have a non- fatal condition that means they are small for their age.

“Kay believed that her daughter was fine because she continued to feel strong movements. The thought of giving birth to Keira, and watching her suffer a painful death just days, or weeks later, led my client to make the very difficult decision to proceed with an abortion.

“Keira was delivered stillborn three days after her death. Kay suffered the significant trauma of carrying her dead daughter for three days, then holding her fragile baby, weighing less than a small bag of sugar, in her arms believing that she had made the right decision to prevent any unnecessary suffering. To learn shortly after that Keira did not have a lethal form of dwarfism was, and continues to be, devastating for Kay and her now ex-partner. The hospital failed to consider an alternative diagnosis, making a fatal error which we believe caused Keira’s avoidable death.”

A mother’s tale

Remembering her daughter, Kay said: “I knew there was nothing wrong with Keira. As a mother, you just know. Her movements were strong, but I trusted the advice I was given. The thought of her suffering any pain, and only surviving for a short period after birth, was too much to bear. We had to put Keira first and believed that an abortion was the right decision for her.

“She died after the hospital administered a needle. I asked if I would be able to see a hole in her chest when she was born and received reassurance that I would not be able to see anything. I had to continue with the pregnancy for three days knowing that we had killed her. When she was born, I could see a hole in her chest where the needle that killed her was inserted. My partner and I could not cope when we found out that Keira did not have a lethal form of dwarfism following the hospital’s postmortem.

“We moved away from the area for a while because we could not cope. Our relationship broke down. It was too much to bear knowing that we made the wrong decision and that she should still be alive today. I want Keira to be remembered and for the hospital to acknowledge what they did.”

Kay and her partner had a healthy daughter three years after Keira’s death.

The Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has settled the claim but denies liability.

A spokesperson for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We wish to express our sincere condolences to Kay Young and her family.

“The circumstances of the treatment provided to Kay Young have been investigated in detail.

“The hospital has reflected on all aspects of the care provided, and we consider that lessons have been learned from this case. We hope the settlement agreed will help her and her family to move on from this and wish them all the best for the future. Our door always remains open should they wish to discuss any further questions with us.”