Overview

• At 23 weeks’ gestation, Holland was transferred from Medway Maritime to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after her waters broke and was then left unattended for 12 hours despite escalating pain
• During the delay she suffered a placental abruption, bled heavily and fainted before a student midwife discovered there was no fetal heartbeat
• A specialist’s comment referring to her unborn child as “scrap” underscored the dehumanizing tone of her treatment
• A post-mortem found no genetic abnormalities, confirmed a healthy placenta and identified a hereditary clotting disorder, Factor V Leiden, in Holland and her mother
• Following a formal complaint, the hospital issued an apology, vowed to reform its maternity protocols and Holland is exploring legal action on the advice of her community midwife