02 December 2023 , 08:48
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The family of a "healthy" mum-of-three who mysteriously died during childbirth is suing the hospital for a staggering $42million (£33million).
Christine Fields, 30, from Brooklyn, New York, tragically passed away after giving birth at Woodhull Hospital last month. Her devastated family claimed staff did not properly perform an emergency C-section and monitor her post-surgery.
The mum was conscious and responsive after the baby was born. However, the following day she went into cardiac arrest after the C-section and, according to the family's lawyer, there was pooling blood, which occurs when the blood is unable to pump back to the heart and collects in the extremities.
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Christine Fields died last month from cardiac arrest after giving birth (Facebook)Lawyer Ira Newman told PIX11: "Her baby’s heart rate drops, and there’s fetal distress. She’s rushed in for a C-section, and we are investigating and have learned from the [medical examiner’s] office that there was pooling blood."
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
A $42million lawsuit has been issued against the institute and her heartbroken mum Denene Witherspoon claimed her daughter was a "healthy" 30-year-old who had planned her birth. She told reporters: "I miss my daughter so much, and I need to know what happened to my daughter.
"My daughter was healthy, my daughter was 30, my daughter did everything right. She had had a birthing plan. Nothing was followed according to her birthing plan, and now I don’t have my child, and it just hurts so much. that was my heart. She made me so proud, and now I don't have that in my life anymore. Now, I have to help raise three kids that don't have a mother."
The mum tragically leaves behind her young famliy (Go Fund Me)The mum leaves behind three children, including her newborn child and her fiancé Jose Perez, who has been left devastated. Speaking to New York Daily News, Perez said: "We were looking forward to a wedding this year, but she ended up pregnant and we put it on hold. We just thought it was going to be a regular birth like the first, second kid."
Christine's family has been left devastated (eyJpdiI6IlRReS9mbCtESTNobm5XbHBHTmpzTmc9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiOUFleHd6OVpGVm5UU1k3QkYvYlhiams5U0NUNFQ1M0Z5L2xUdmpHckpFcStJSEdhZmVOc1ZIRG5GaHA3L2pCTSIsIm1hYyI6IjNkMjI2OWRmYjE3MDQ3NWZhM2EzYjdjMzQ5ZjcwOWY3OWQ5)According to the family, they are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine a cause of death for the mum. Family lawyer Sanford Rubinstein said: "Three children, ages 3, 5 and a newborn infant, will now be raised without a mother. This is tragic. This family had no reason to think this wasn't going to be a healthy childbirth."
A spokesperson for NYC Health + Hospitals has expressed their "sincere condolences" to the famliy. It said: "The health and safety of our patients is our highest priority, and we express our sincere condolences to those affected by this tragic loss. NYC Health + Hospitals has a steadfast commitment to providing quality, dignified, culturally responsive care to all New Yorkers without exception. We will continue to make advances to protect the safety and health of new mothers and address the national crisis of high rates of maternal mortalities.'