Baby was stillborn

CEBU, Philippines - The management of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center assured no whitewash in the investigation into the death of a newborn delivered at the hospital, even as they insisted the baby was already dead when the mother arrived at the hospital.

The father of the child, Renjie Torreon, suspected his baby died under suspicious causes after seeing that the baby’s head and neck were severely injured after upon delivery last September 14.

“We at VSMMC are thankful for our media partners for bringing the incident to our attention despite no complaints are received through our Public Assistance and Complaints Section. VSMMC will not tolerate any malfeasance committed by our staff as we are now an ISO certified institution,” VSMMC spokesman Nonoy Mongaya said in a statement.

However, Mongaya said that as of 4 p.m. yesterday Torreon had yet to file a complaint before the hospital.

Mongaya said that appropriate sanctions will be imposed on those who are found guilty by the fact-finding committee which was formed by VSMMC chief Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr. the other day.

Mongaya said that the committee was given three days to come up with a report on the case even without an official complaint from the aggrieved party.

Renjie Torreon of Upper Sitio Sampaguita, Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, did file a complaint before the Banilad Barangay Hall.

Mongaya added that just yesterday, they received a letter from the Commission on Human Rights to explain on the matter.

“Of course, we will answer the complaint and we will furnish them the results of our fact-finding committee investigation,” Mongaya further said.

Baby was dead before delivery

Earlier, Mongaya in a statement said the baby’s case was that of a previable boy (a baby so premature that it cannot survive) in footling breach presentation.

Records show the baby weighed 1.1 kilos and was 26 1/7 weeks when born. His cause of death was Intrauterine Fetal Death (IUFD) secondary to cord accident.

“We deny that the head was cut off,” the statement also read.

The statement added that the baby was already in IUFD upon arrival at the admitting section and that upon examination by the resident physician on duty, the baby’s body from the navel to the feet was already out of the introitus.

A partial breech extraction was done by the resident physician, the statement read.

Possible scenario

A medical practitioner said if a breech baby is already dead inside a womb, it is possible for the neck to become soft and give way because the tissue has macerated and the head is usually bigger than the body, as in most breech baby cases. 

“Usually kon patay na ang baby inside the uterus unya breech baby pa gyod. Kana, if nag-ung-ung na siya, naa gyod tendency nga maputol ang liog because macerated na iyang tissues,” said an OB-gyne who requested anonymity.

She also said it is possible the neck gave way due to the way it was handled during the delivery.

“Once patay man gud, it’s easy for the tissues to give way,” she said, adding that the reason for the partial disconnection of the head of the baby could also be because the attending medical practitioner twisted the head of the baby.

She said that common causes of stillbirth are umbilical cord accidents, infectious causes, congenital anomalies, oligohydramnios (lack of amniotic fluid) and placental abnormalities, among others.

There are proper procedures in handling breech babies.

“If first baby siya and full-term pud, cesarean section g’yud na siya. Pero kon naay imminent delivery, meaning fully dilated na and no more time to prepare, pwede ang partial breech extraction,” she said, adding that there are sets of maneuvers to safeguard the delivery of the baby.

Police: Head severed upon delivery

Meanwhile, the findings of the Regional Crime Laboratory 7 is not conclusive as to the baby’s cause of death, but medico-legal officer Benjamin Lara said he is sure that the baby’s head was severed upon delivery.

He told the media that after he conducted autopsy on the baby he found the head was severed by with the exertion of “a reasonable amount of force”.

“There was a reasonable amount of force na na-execute na na-force yun, in all probability na-sever ;yung head during delivery,” he said.

He added that the head was severed at the last portion of the cervical vertebra right at the fusion of the last cervical vertebra and the thoracic vertebra.

“Tapos pag sinabing severed wala na rin yung spinal cord nung bata, putol na rin yung blood vessel nya on the neck,” he added

But according to Lara the head was not totally severed because it was still attached to the body by some skin.

He said that his findings were conclusive that the baby’s head was severed during delivery but he could not say of it was the cause of death.

“If I were to base it on my examination last night it appears not, kasi wala namang tissue reaction dun sa side ng kung saan na-lacerate yung balat para maputol yung liig,” Lara said.

Lara found it difficult to have a conclusive finding on cause of the baby’s death because he examined the body only after it had been immersed in formaldehyde.

He added although VSMMC issued a death certificate stating the cause of death as IUFD secondary to cord accident, he said it would not be enough to cause the head to be severed from the body. —(FREEMAN)