By Brendan Rees
A young pregnant woman who lost her unborn child claims she was “purely neglected” by Casey Hospital after being turned away five times.
Kristy Watson of Blind Bight said she experienced “textbook” symptoms for pre-eclampsia when she was six months pregnant in June 2018.
However, the single mum at the time said the condition went undiagnosed and was sent home with Panadeine Forte and told to “come in if it was worsening”.
The then 19-year-old said she started experiencing symptoms of swelling in her face, feet and hands, blurry vision and bad headaches.
For the next three weeks Ms Watson attended the hospital a further four times with her symptoms worsening, including protein in her urine and high blood pressure before her unborn son Kaycen died in her womb at 33 weeks.
Ms Watson is now launching legal action against Monash Health.
“It wasn’t just one mistake made,” she said.
“I had my whole family telling me to go back, go to different hospitals but I trusted the hospital in what they were saying.
“Obviously no money is going to put a price on my child but I’m hoping this will be the closure of my journey.”
At one stage she said she was turned away because her doctor was in “a meeting”.
“I just wished they had listened more.
“My mum’s first reaction was ‘she’s been in here so many times, how the hell have you not picked up on this?’”
When she was eventually admitted on 27 July, Ms Watson said staff told her “that I was going to have him” but when they did the ultrasound “they didn’t realise he wasn’t alive anymore”.
“I was just in so much pain all the time. I could barely move; I could barely get out of bed. Pregnancy towards the end was obsolutely horrible for me.”
Ms Watson, now 20, said for the past two years she had been trying to fall pregnant but had been experiencing “many complications”.
She’s now in the process of going through IVF but admitted it’s a 50-50 chance of working.
“I do believe what actually happened to me is the reason why I haven’t been able to conceive again.”
In a statement, Monash Health said: “We are sorry for the loss suffered by the family.
“Monash Health undertook a detailed review of the circumstances surrounding this matter,” the statement read.
“Monash Health has also met with and has spoken with the family.
“As the matter is now the subject of legal action, we will not be providing any further comment.”
