Ayr mum's agony over baby Jamie

Jun 26 2009 by Edwin Lawrence

A KILLER infection is the last thing you want to give your unborn child.

But Melanie Boyd believes that’s what happened to her wee boy.

And baby Jamie almost died from dangerous Group B Strep (GBS).

Melanie, 24, was denied an antibiotic while giving birth – despite her request.

She knew she could pass on the infection, as a smear test had shown the bacteria’s presence.

That’s not unusual, as many people carry it, and normally it does no harm.

“I then fell pregnant,” said Melanie, formerly of Symington and now of Craigie in Ayr.

“And all the health professionals I saw said I would get an intravenous antibiotic while giving birth, so as not to pass on the GBS.

“I knew it could cause pneumonia, blood poisoning and even meningitis in my baby.”

Melanie was in no position to argue when the midwife delivering her baby told her she didn’t need the antibiotic.

The midwife was following a consultant’s instruction, as well as going by a swab test in Melanie’s labour that came back clear.

But Melanie points out: “This wasn’t the ECM (enriched culture method) test that is the only one that will prove if GBS is present.”

All was forgotten when an apparently healthy and happy Jamie was born at the new maternity unit at Crosshouse Hospital.

But drama unfolded six weeks later when the tot lay at death’s door in Glasgow‘s Yorkhill Hospital.

“All the family gathered prepared for Jamie to die,” said Melanie.

Significantly, a blood test on the baby’s heel showed Group B Strep present.

“Looking back, it all points to Jamie having the infection from birth,” said Melanie.

“He was grunting, always very hungry, and he had a rash.

“Then, before going to Yorkhill, his neck was terribly swollen – the size of a golf ball.

“The rash got worse, and his feet were purple.”

Melanie is convinced she should have been offered a reliable GBS test.

“They do it in the USA, Canada and Australia – but not here,” she said.

She is equally convinced that her consultant obstetrician – whom she has never met – completely misread the situation.

Melanie said: “I’ve seen the note written by the consultant who says I didn’t need an antibiotic because my first baby (Emily, now two) wasn’t affected.

“But she seems to have missed the point that my GBS was triggered after Emily’s birth.”

Melanie and partner Tom Gilmour are relieved that Jamie, now three months, is clear of GBS.

And they hope their tot never has to endure another life-threatening incident.

Mandy Yule is health care director for integrated care and partner services with NHS Ayrshire & Arran.

She said: “We are sorry that this patient feels that her care fell short of the safe standards we aim for. However, the need for patient confidentiality means that we are unable to comment further on individual cases.

“We can confirm, however, that we have offered to arrange a meeting between this patient and the clinical directors for the service areas to discuss her concerns.

“We have a robust complaints procedure and we would encourage people to contact our patient relations and complaints department if they feel they have not been able to resolve any issues.”