Baby is born in hospital car park

Feb 26 2008 By Alison Dayani

A PREGNANT woman gave birth in her car outside a Birmingham maternity unit after she was locked out of the building at night for nearly 15 minutes.

The mum-to-be's frantic husband repeatedly rang the entry buzzer outside the doors of Heartland Hospital as his wife's contractions got closer together.

But after failing to rouse nurses on the maternity unit the couple retreated to their car where the mum went into the final stages of labour.

Eye-witnesses said it "seemed like ages" before a midwife realised they were there and rushed out to help. But the woman had already started to give birth and it was too late to move her up to theatre.

Heartlands Hospital bosses today confirmed the woman gave birth in her car at the entrance to the hospital, in Bordesley Green, with a midwife overseeing the labour at 2.30am on Friday. "The woman was understandably upset and her husband was put out to say the least. It seemed like ages before anyone came, but at least the story ended happily," an eye-witness said.

Health watchdog Coun Deirdre Alden said she was concerned that an expectant mother could be left waiting, frightened and cold, outside a maternity unit for so long.

"If anyone has to wait outside for 15 minutes that is unacceptable, no matter what stage of labour," said Coun Alden, chairwoman of Birmingham Health Scrutiny Committee.

"I know babies can come suddenly as I thought one of my own children may arrive on the street, but that wait is frantic and there needs to be adequate staffing at hospitals.

"Women want to be reassured that if they ring the intercom, someone comes straight away."

Vicky Crowe, Heartlands Hospital spokeswoman, said despite being born in a car the story ended happily with mum and baby both healthy and allowed home on Saturday.

Miss Crowe said: "The woman was in the final stages of labour when she arrived at the hospital. There was someone by the intercom in the maternity unit and although it may have seemed a long time, a midwife did come immediately.

"The intercom is manned at all times by a trained member of staff."

It comes a year after pregnant Gail Jordan claimed she was turned away from the overcrowded maternity unit at Solihull Hospital, run by Heart of England Trust that also runs Heartlands Hospital, and told to look in a phone directory for another hospital.

The 38-year-old from Monkspath, Solihull, said she phoned the hospital but was told they were too full to take her and gave birth to baby Alexander ten hours later at Warwick Hospital.

In January, a review of maternity wards at Heart of England Trust, which also runs Sutton Coldfield's Good Hope Hospital, recorded them as among the worst in the country.