A pregnant woman who injected herself to induce the birth of her twins blamed the midwife when the drug killed them.
The Somalian-born mum-of-five allegedly injected herself with Syntometrine to try and induce the labour. All drugs at the maternity unit were kept under lock and key except for Syntometrine, vitamin K and lignocaine.
When the drug killed her unborn twins she told doctors that the injection had been given by midwife Caroline Randall, who was subsequently arrested by police. Faiso Sahil had limited midwifery knowledge after training in her native Somalia.
The court heard that on March 27 2007 Sahil, who was due to give birth on May 5, suggested her twins be induced, but her request was turned down by doctors. Then on April 9 she was seen by a doctor who refused her second request to be induced or to have a Caesarean section.
The following day Sahil was admitted to the maternity ward of Southmead Hospital in Bristol and placed under the care of the senior midwife, Miss Randall. Sahil repeatedly claimed she was having painful contractions when she wasn't even in labour in an attempt to speed up the birth.
She is then said to have injected herself with the drug Syntometrine which is usually administered after birth to expel the placenta. Her twins, a boy and a girl, were subsequently stillborn.
Prosecutor Mr Steen added: 'She was allocated a senior and experienced midwife, Caroline Randall. She was placed in delivery room one, which is closest to the nurses. Sadly, it resulted in a tragic end. The twins had died inside her prior to 8am.'
Miss Randall told the court: 'She wanted to be in labour. That was overriding everything else.'
The prosecution claims that when the member of staff Miss Randall handed over to was unable to detect the twin's heartbeats,
Sahil tried to explain away the death of her children by falsely blaming Caroline Randall.
The trial continues....
April 2009 | 
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