Mother sues after doctors perform emergency cesarean section without drugs

Delfina Mota says the trauma of daughter Cali's birth will stay with her forever. Photo / Facebook

A mother is taking legal action after her "horror movie" birth where she was allegedly cut open by medical staff — without any pain relief.

Last November, heavily pregnant US woman Delfina Mota was rushed to the Tri-City Medical Center in California after her blood pressure dropped.

Doctors couldn't find her baby girl's heartbeat, so they decided to perform an emergency caesarean section.

According to NBC, the anaesthesiologist on duty, Dr David Seif, was "paged multiple times (but) did not respond."

There was still no word from Dr Seif nine minutes after the original call went out — and so Ms Mota claims doctors cut her open to deliver her daughter without administering any form of anaesthetic or pain relief.

"If you ever feel like giving up just remember there's a little girl watching you who wants to be just like you...dont disappoint her" 💋

Posted by Delfina Mota on Thursday, 22 February 2018

She told NBC it was "something like out of a horror movie".

"Once I felt it, I was just screaming like, 'stop. I can feel it'. And after that I'm pretty sure I passed out from the pain," she said.

"It's probably going to stay with me for the rest of my life."

Ms Mota's fiance, Paul Iheanachor, was outside the operating theatre at the time, and said he heard his partner's anguished screams before she fell silent.

"I just tried to wrap my mind around how it would feel to basically be gutted like a fish," he told NBC.

"If somebody put a knife in your stomach and cut you open, and had their hands on your insides, and ripped your baby out, you know."

#McM #Everyday #EasterBabys #Caligirl I love you forever and always, idk how you put up with me but keep up the good work 😘😘 Paul Iheanachor

Posted by Delfina Mota on Monday, 2 April 2018

Mr Iheanachor said he was physically restrained by staff when he tried to enter the room to support Ms Mota, who told reporters she had been left traumatised by the horrific experience.

However, a representative of the Anaesthesia Service Medical Group, of which Dr Seif is a member, told NBC the group denied the couple's allegations.

"The group, on behalf of Dr Seif, is confident that anaesthesia services would have been available, and were available," the spokesperson said.

"Additionally, the group and Dr Seif are confident that the care provided by Dr Seif was appropriate under the circumstances."

But Norman Finkelstein, the family's lawyer, told NBC the hospital "failed" and had a clear staffing problem.

"That's what I'd like to see changed so that this doesn't happen to somebody else. Because this was horrific," Mr Finkelstein said.

Despite the botched birth, the couple's daughter, Cali, is described by her parents as happy and healthy and "always smiling".