Little girl lost

By Lia Bichel
A DISTRAUGHT mother who lost her baby at Casey Hospital believes staff could have prevented the death from occurring.
Grieving Lynbrook resident Pauline Lazardis, 31, is demanding answers from Southern Health after going through a traumatic experience on Wednesday 9 February when, at 23 weeks pregnant, she was told by medical staff to give birth naturally to her stillborn baby girl instead of having a caesarean.
A spokesperson for Southern Health said a full review was underway to ascertain the level of appropriate care in the matter.
On Saturday 5 February, Ms Lazardis went into the Casey Hospital because she had a high temperature and was concerned for the health of her unborn baby.
Ms Lazardis said a midwife took a urine sample and listened to the baby’s heartbeat, told her everything looked fine and to take a Panadol and go home.
On 6 February, Ms Lazardis went into the hospital twice because she was still experiencing a high fever.
Ms Lazardis said that the midwife told her to take a Nurofen. Ms Lazardis bought a package but the warning on the box advised not to take any pills if pregnant, so she didn’t.
On Monday, 7 February, Ms Lazardis was experienced bleeding so she went into Casey Hospital again. She said this time the midwife took a test of the baby’s membrane and told her everything was okay.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ms Lazardis experienced a horrific turn of events.
“I was in bed, couldn’t move and was trembling,” she said.
“We called an ambulance but when they arrived I thought there was no point in going with them because I wouldn’t be seen any sooner- and they tended to agree. So my mum rushed me to hospital,” she said.
“Mum got me a wheelchair and took me to emergency. When I went through the doors I was vomiting but other people were walking in and still being seen before me.
“When the doctor did see me, I was told my baby wouldn’t survive. I got rushed to the Dandenong Hospital Intensive Care Unit and had to give birth.”
After giving birth, Ms Lazardis was told she had a very rare bacterial infection affecting two per cent of pregnant women, called chorioamnionitis.
After saying goodbye to her child in an emotional funeral on 16 February, Ms Lazardis is trying to find answers to help her deal with the tragic death of her baby girl, who she named Nekita Rose Racasa.
“I don’t understand why the infection wasn’t picked up earlier. I went back to the hospital so many days in a row. How could it become so aggressive within 24 hours?” Ms Lazardis said.
“They could have done more to see what was going on. They could have done an ultrasound. I am really angry at the hospital for not doing their job. Why wasn’t I taken seriously?”
Nekita Rose is Ms Lazardis’s third child, and the first to her partner Zandro Racasa.
A spokesperson for Southern Health said a review was currently underway.
“Every attempt is being made to urgently organise a meeting between the family and clinicians to make sure all concerns are addressed,” the spokesperson said.
“Southern Health extends its deepest sympathy to the patient and her family after the loss of her baby.”