An investigation has been ordered into a hospital in England that allegedly denied treatment to a baby born less than 24 weeks into her pregnancy because of a policy deeming that such babies' quality of life would be impaired.
Tracy Godwin, the boy’s mother, said the hospital failed to inform her about its policy, and her newborn died in her arms without a doctor present in the room, according to the Daily Mail. Her boy, Tom, missed the treatment cutoff by 12 days.
“If he had been stillborn, it would have been different, but he tried to live,” the grieving mother told the Daily Mail. “We were begging them to do something for him.”
Instead, Godwin, her baby and her partner were sent into the Butterfly room, a room designated for women about to lose a baby, according to the article.
A spokeswoman from the Southend Hospital offered condolences to Godwin for her experience. She said it is “essential” for the hospital to more thoroughly inform the prospective parents about the expectations for infant survival.
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