Mother Sent Home After Doctors Confirm Death of Unborn Baby, Told to Book Appointment for Delivery

A 31-year-old pregnant woman in the United Kingdom was sent home still carrying her baby after doctors confirmed the child had died, and was reportedly told to call later in the week to arrange an appointment for delivery.

Danielle Brown, from North Tyneside, had previously been wrongly discharged from hospital despite suffering from pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that can affect both mother and baby.

She returned to hospital because she continued to feel unwell and insisted on being assessed by the maternity team. Doctors eventually discovered that her unborn daughter, Maisie, had died.

Danielle described the moment as devastating, recalling how the ultrasound screen was turned away and there was silence. She said she turned to her partner, Anthony Miller, and told him: “I think she’s gone.”

However, instead of being admitted for immediate delivery, Danielle said she was given a telephone number and instructed to call on Friday morning to arrange a time to deliver her baby.

The decision left the couple distressed as they returned home knowing their daughter was no longer alive.

Anthony, 34, described the experience as horrible, saying it was painful to lie beside Danielle and hold her stomach while knowing their baby had died.

Pregnancy Complications and Hospital Discharge

The couple had been excited after discovering they were expecting a baby girl, whom they had decided to name Maisie.

In February 2023, when Danielle was around seven months pregnant, she woke up feeling unwell. Her face, hands and feet were swollen, symptoms that can be associated with pre-eclampsia.

The couple went to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, Northumberland, where medical staff identified concerns with Maisie’s heart rate.

Danielle was told that her baby needed to be delivered immediately through an emergency caesarean section.

A midwife reportedly informed her that arrangements were being made to transfer her to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where doctors would perform the operation.

She was transported by ambulance, but the expected caesarean section did not take place. Instead, she was admitted to a ward.

According to Danielle, a consultant told her she would remain in hospital until Maisie was born. However, another doctor reviewed her the following day and discharged her.

Within 24 hours, Danielle was still feeling unwell and contacted the maternity unit. She said she was initially told she might have a stomach bug but insisted on returning for medical assessment.

During a subsequent scan, doctors were unable to detect Maisie’s heartbeat and confirmed that the baby had died.

Couple’s Painful Experience After Losing Their Daughter

After being sent home, Danielle and Anthony struggled to cope with the news.

Two days later, following 10 hours of labour, Danielle gave birth to Maisie.

She described the experience of holding her daughter for the first time as heartbreaking, saying the room was silent when the baby was born.

Although devastated, she said Maisie was beautiful and that she told her how much she loved her.

Danielle also spoke about the emotional difficulty of leaving the hospital without her daughter.

The couple said they had to walk past other parents carrying their newborn babies as they left with a memory box containing keepsakes of Maisie.

Danielle said the experience would remain with her forever.

The couple are now calling on hospitals across the UK to provide alternative exits for parents who have experienced the loss of a baby, so they do not have to pass through areas where other families are leaving with newborn children.

Danielle also urged hospitals to support grieving families rather than sending mothers home while they are still carrying a baby who has died.

Hospital Trust Apologises and Announces Improvements

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust acknowledged that aspects of the care provided to Danielle and her family fell below the expected standards.

The trust’s executive director of nursing and midwifery, Ian Joy, offered a heartfelt apology and said a detailed review conducted in 2023 had led to improvements.

These included changes to urgent assessments for women arriving at maternity services with unexpected symptoms or suspected complications, as well as quicker procedures for escalating concerns.

Legal executive Faisal Ali, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, said pre-eclampsia could be life-threatening without appropriate medical attention.

He said the trust had admitted Danielle should not have been discharged on either 14 or 15 February 2023.

According to Ali, had Danielle remained in hospital, monitoring would have identified the need to bring forward delivery, and Maisie would have been born alive.

An NHS England spokesperson also described the failures in care as unacceptable and extended condolences to the family.

The spokesperson said anyone experiencing the loss of a baby should receive full support from a specialist maternity team and be able to make decisions about their care.