Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs A sheriff leading the inquiry into the death of three new-borns at Lanarkshire’s Wishaw General Hospital has made 11 recommendations including the creation of a ‘trigger list’NewsRuth Suter and Zasha Whiteway-Wilkinson05:17, 21 Mar 2025Emma with partner Joe(Image: Supplied)Emma Owen, a 22 year old mother, is courageously sharing her story after the tragic death of her new-born son, which she believes could have been prevented with proper hospital protocols. Emma’s son, Owen, tragically passed away less than 24 hours after his birth at Wishaw General Hospital on July 1, 2023.In the week leading up to his death, Emma visited the maternity unit four times due to severe headaches, swelling and general illness. Despite being 35 weeks pregnant, she was sent home each time with only pain relief.It wasn’t until the pain became unbearable, preventing her from sitting or lying down, that Emma and her partner, Joe Turner, returned to the hospital demanding proper medical attention.READ MORE: Major DNA breakthrough in unsolved mystery of baby found dead in stream 14 years agoThis comes after a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) ruled that the deaths of three other new-borns at a Lanarkshire hospital could have been avoided. The investigation found that these tragedies could have been prevented if the mothers had received appropriate healthcare in the days leading up to their births and subsequent deaths.The sheriff leading the inquiry made 11 recommendations following the findings, including the establishment of a ‘trigger list’ to identify and assess early labour symptoms and guidelines on when women should seek clinical assessment, reports the Daily Record.A portrait of Emma with Joe and baby Owen(Image: Supplied)In a harrowing ordeal, Emma, from Hamilton, underwent a traumatic experience following what was determined to be a placenta abruption – a serious condition where the placenta detaches from the uterus before delivery. Despite an urgent C-section, her baby Owen did not survive.Revealing her heart-rending story to the Record, Emma expressed: “I knew something wasn’t right so I went to the hospital and they sent me home with co-codamol. The headache never went away so I went back again the next day and they sent me home again.”I knew something wasn’t right so I went back three days later. By that point, my headache had gotten a lot worse. I kept telling them something wasn’t right and they ended up finding protein in my urine.”Desperate for help, she continued: “They were going to keep me in but instead at the last minute, they sent me home again. I was sent home and given dihydrocodeine even though the other pain killers just weren’t working.”When I started feeling contractions I thought they had just come early, I didn’t know any difference because it was my first pregnancy. I ended up not being able to sit or lie down. I was in so much pain, so we went back up to the hospital again.”Emma with partner Joe during her pregnancy with Owen(Image: Supplied)Emma lamented the negligence: “A doctor came in and felt my tummy and suspected I had a placenta abruption. This had been going on throughout the week and had been missed four times. I displayed all the symptoms of a placenta abruption but each time I was turned away.”Owen was critically ill at birth and struggled due to a lack of oxygen during and just after delivery. His life support was turned off, resulting in his passing on July 2, 2023.Emma opened up, saying: “Losing Owen broke our hearts. It made us depressed and angry at the world. We put our trust into doctors and midwives but they did us wrong. I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone.”The investigation pinpointed multiple shortcomings in NHS procedures and identified steps that could have been taken to avert these premature losses.Emma is convinced that recommendations from a recent FAI into the deaths of three other infants might have spared Owen if implemented sooner.The inquiry also looked into Leo Lamont’s death, who died at Monklands Hospital on 15 February 2019. It also scrutinised the events leading to Ellie McCormick’s death at Wishaw General on 5 March 2019 and Mira-Belle Bosch at the same venue on 2 July 2021.Like Emma, Nadine Rooney experienced the agony of losing her son Leo after suffering a placental abruption, having requested medical assistance for back pain hours earlier from University Hospital Monklands.Nicola McCormick, Ellie’s mother, had noted intermittent bleeding and a decrease in baby movement.On the eve of Ellie’s birth, Nicola reached out to Wishaw General Hospital’s maternity ward regarding her contractions, only to be told to take painkillers and to call back if her situation worsened.Mira-Belle Bosch had reached out to the maternity unit at Wishaw General Hospital after her waters broke and she began having contractions. She was instructed to come in for a check-up and was subsequently sent home with some advice.Wishaw General Hospital(Image: Wishaw Press)The next day, she contacted the maternity unit once more due to contractions, stating she felt comfortable at home without any worries, and was advised to stay put.Emma lamented: “There will always be ifs and buts in our minds because we know Owen’s death could have been prevented. If there had been proper earlier healthcare and intervention, I 100% believe he could still be here.”To know the health board had multiple baby losses before we lost Owen is appalling. If they had the recommendations set out in the FAI in place already, then we wouldn’t be grieving the loss of our children today.”Training should be in place to understand what an abruption is and what the symptoms are around it. As well as other losses of care. It’s horrible to think somebody else went through this before me and that they didn’t ever fix it, which led to more grief and heartbreak.”NHS Lanarkshire has been approached for comment.
