Toxic Epidural Leaves One Mother on Her Death Bed and Another Paralyzed for Life

While we know about the risks of birthing in a hospital such as the known side effects of interventions, I wonder how many medical accidents affect birthing woman?  And how would we find out about them?

This link leads to a story about a mother who was accidently administered an antiseptic into her spine during labour. She is currently dying and there is nothing that is known that can help her. Another woman who also fell victum to this mistake was administered way less and was left paralyzed for life.

We must really look at the truth about hospital birth. It comes with it’s own increased risks and does not guarantee a safe outcome for mother and baby (the way we are commonly led to believe that it does). Rarely, if ever, do parents weigh in hospital negligence or accidents when choosing to birth in the hospital-just in case.

“Epidural administration of chlorhexidine – used to clean skin before injections and strong enough to neutralise resistant hospital bacteria – is so rare that Ms Wang’s doctors have identified only one other case.

Angelique Sutcliffe, from Britain, was paralysed for life after the chemical entered her epidural in 2001. But this was just a droplet – a fraction of the eight millilitres infused into Ms Wang.”

http://www.theage.com.au/national/toxic-epidural-ravages-mother-20100820-1390i.html