A mother in England is filing suit against a hospital after doctors wrongly advised her to abort her “brain dead” baby.
According to the Daily Mail, Sarah Hagan says medics at Sunderland Royal Hospital told her during her 24-week pregnancy scan that her son would have “no hope of survival.” She and her 25-year-old partner, Darren Perry, have begun legal proceedings against City Hospitals Sunderland.
Hagan was reportedly told her baby’s brain had not formed properly, that he could be born with one eye and that the only option was termination.
Though the mifepristone abortion pill is only authorized in the early stages of pregnancy, Hagan claims that two physicians advised her to take it on May 4, 2012.
Days later, the 38-year-old mother of two returned the hospital when the pills weren’t working, where she says another doctor told her the baby needed to be delivered immediately. She gave birth to Aaron, who was 1 pound, 7 ounces, with both eyes, on May 10. He was healthy other than being premature.
Aaron was immediately put on a ventilator, and he suffered from an almost fatal infection and heart condition. He started recovering after nearly two months in the neonatal unit.
Hagan says her son, now 15 months old, has suffered from an array from problems, including chronic lung issues and a cyst on his brain due to being born early.
“If I had been allowed to go longer into the pregnancy, I am sure he wouldn’t have had any of these problems,” Hagan said in the Daily Mail report.
Hagan, also mother to 6-month-old Harry, explains that Aaron’s brain is on par with other children his age and that despite the medics’ warnings, he was born breathing and kicking.
“When I look at him now, I can’t believe what almost happened because someone made a presumption from a scan. I just want other mothers to know my story so that nothing like this happens again.”
A spokesperson for Sunderland Royal Hospital said, “The Trust can confirm that it is aware of the legal action being taken by Ms. Hagan and her partner, and it would be clearly inappropriate to offer any detail or comment on the case at this present time. The Trust recognizes that this is a distressing time for both Ms. Hagan and her partner.”
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