Couples have revealed their heartbreak after feeling compelled to terminate pregnancies due to diagnoses of serious genetic conditions in their babies – only to discover later that these were errors. Nottingham University Hospitals Trust has issued an apology following instances where couples were incorrectly informed that their unborn children had genetic abnormalities, potentially leading to life-altering disorders or miscarriage.
In one shocking case, a couple who had undergone an abortion were reportedly told by a doctor revealing the misdiagnosis, “you could have miscarried anyway”. The Trust is currently under scrutiny as part of the largest maternity investigation in NHS history, which has underscored “a well-recognised hazard” associated with the tests used to detect genetic abnormalities in foetal tissue.
Two couples have now shared their experiences of terminating pregnancies due to early signs of genetic conditions that would result in their babies requiring special care. Carly Wesson and Carl Everson told the BBC that their 12-week scan in January 2019 suggested their baby was at high risk of Down’s Syndrome.
After undergoing a chorionic villus sampling test (CVS), the foetal care team at Nottingham’s City Hospital informed them that their unborn daughter had a rare genetic condition known as Patau’s Syndrome, which would have significantly increased Carly’s risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
A couple faced the heart-wrenching decision to terminate their pregnancy after being informed by a foetal care consultant that their child would have severe care needs and might not survive. “It’s the most impossible choice we’ve ever had to make,” the mother revealed to the BBC, reports the Mirror.
“We thought the best option was to end the pregnancy because the baby was suffering.”
They named their daughter Ladybird, but six weeks later, they were devastated to learn from a meeting that the initial test had been a false positive; a second test showed no chromosomal abnormalities in all 50 cells examined. When questioned about their daughter’s chances of survival, the doctor responded: “You could have miscarried anyway.”
Another couple, who chose to remain anonymous, were told in 2017 that their baby had an inherited life-limiting illness. With the pregnancy just under the legal limit for termination, they had only 24 hours to decide on keeping the baby.
After choosing to end the pregnancy, they were shocked to find out from a post-mortem that the foetus did not have the condition.
A third family received news that their foetus showed signs of a genetic condition but decided to continue with the pregnancy. They now celebrate the life of their healthy nine-year-old son.
Mirror.co.uk reached out to Nottingham Teaching Hospitals Trust for a statement, and its chief executive, Anthony May, expressed his regret to the BBC: “I know that we failed Carly, Carl and their baby, Ladybird, in 2019, and for that I am truly sorry. While words will never change the outcome, I can assure them and other families that we have investigated and learnt from this tragic case.”
He added: “Since 2019, we have implemented the findings from this incident, ensuring we have robust processes for checking, communicating and monitoring results.”
An ongoing investigation scrutinises Nottingham Teaching Hospitals Trust, responsible for both Nottingham’s City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre, with over 2,000 families’ care under review. The Mirror is seeking further comments from NUHT.
