An MP is lobbying for guidelines to be set down to monitor the size of babies as they grow, after one couple suffered the death of their newborn baby, who suffered serious brain damage and died after being born because she was too big. The mother was not offered a caesarean section.
Vince Cable, MP for Twickenham, has written to the Health Secretary John Reid asking him to look into this major loophole in the NHS's system of fetal monitoring.
'In Italy they monitor the size of babies in the womb as they grow.' Mr Cable commented in a national newspaper report.
An independent obstetrician's report into the baby's death said: "It is well known we do not detect fetal size very well. I don't think most practitioners are able to detect a baby above 11lb." "Once a large baby is identified it remains a difficult area of management." He added.
The couple are calling for an inquiry into her death.
Auriana Griffiths, specialist solicitor in birth injury commented:
"We handle a number of Erb's Palsy cases, where a lot of the time the baby is too big to be delivered naturally. We would welcome any guidelines which clarify the position for hospitals, and any moves towards monitoring the size of babies as a routine procedure. This could potentially prevent many injuries and deaths of new born babies and mothers."
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