A hospital trust has apologised after a mum claimed her baby died following a series of errors and she was told the child was dead, then alive - then dead.
Alisha Pegg says she was sent home from the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford in Kent despite being in premature labour. She then gave birth to baby Grace at home and the pair were rushed back to hospital.
Alisha says she was then told that Grace was dead, then alive, before she died hours later.
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Ms Pegg said she went to the hospital after suffering pain and nausea on February 27, just 22 weeks into her pregnancy. She said: "I was doubled over in pain and being sick, and when I phoned the doctor they assumed I had a bladder infection.
"I went in anyway, as I couldn't feel Grace move. When a midwife asked what the pain felt like, the first word out of my mouth was labour. Having given birth before, I knew what it felt like and my waters were leaking."
Despite the mum's protests, she said she was given a "quick" check over and sent home. Alisha continued: "They did no dilation check, and no check to see if my waters were gone – the doctor did a bedside scan that lasted about a minute.
"I was told they could find a heartbeat but no movement, so they said she must have been asleep. I wasn't happy and I was telling them my body felt like it needed to push, but I was told to go home."
Hours after first going to the hospital, Ms Pegg was picked up by her mother and brought home – only to then call an ambulance when she went into full-blown labour.
She said: "At around 1.20am the pain got worse, I was being sick, sweating, the room was spinning. around 2.30am I realised something was seriously wrong, 2.40am I dialled 999 and 2.45am I had given birth at home, alone.
"I can't fault the paramedics, they were amazing. They did all they could do."
She says when the pair arrived back at the hospital, they were separated with Grace being taken to the neonatal emergency unit. Around an hour later, Ms Pegg was told that her baby had died.
She says Grace was then brought to her - alive. Alisha added: "I was told that Grace didn't make it, only for them to bring her up to me 45 minutes later, alive. But they said they could not offer any medical intervention, and she died at 6.30am. I had to grieve my daughter twice."
Rebecca Martin, chief medical officer at the trust, said: "We are truly sorry that we didn't provide the standard of care and support needed. We have changed our practices and policies following Grace's sad death, including introducing further monitoring for those at risk of preterm labour.
"We will continue to ensure we provide ongoing support to answer all the family's questions."
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