Warning: Content may disturb
After five years of trying, Auckland woman Victoria Edwards was thrilled to be pregnant, and to give birth, via an emergency caesarean section, to a healthy little girl last month at Auckland’s North Shore Hospital.
The surgical procedure itself went well, she said. But she later became worried about the amount of blood around the wound.
“I raised concerns with midwives on the postnatal ward about significant bleeding and oozing from my surgical dressing,” she told the Herald.
“Despite repeatedly voicing my worries, no one checked or changed the bandage,” she said.
“I kept asking about it throughout the night. I was only there for one night because we got discharged to Birthcare...one night after a C-section is probably not ideal.
“Even then, I said: ‘Oh, can you check the bandage’? They checked it and said it was fine [but] it was still of concern to me.”
A few days later, Edwards said the wound started oozing pus-like fluid through the bandage and into her pants.
It then turned into cellulitis and she was taken to Waitakere Hospital in West Auckland, then transferred back to North Shore Hospital.
She was found to have suffered a severe wound infection, underwent two debridement surgeries, and was admitted to hospital for 10 days.
According to Te Whatu Ora figures, C-section rates increased to 33% of all births in 2023 - the highest percentage ever recorded.
“Emergency caesarean section rates have generally increased over the same period,” its website reads.
The Herald asked Te Whatu Ora for data on how rare or common post-operative caesarean complications are, but it didn’t provide them by deadline.
Edwards’ husband took photos of the wound throughout her time in hospital. The Herald has seen them, but they are too graphic to publish.
A nurse now comes twice a week to change Edwards’ dressing and - given her condition - family members have had to step up to help with the baby when her husband is at work.
“Basically, what I’ve got is an open wound stuffed with gauze.
“It was stuffed with a black sponge, but...I’ve been able to shift to a gauze dressing, which is not as intense,” she said.
“I walk around with this machine I need to charge twice a day, which is not ideal when you’ve got a newborn baby.”
More than a month later, Edwards has suffered a secondary and then third infection - and had to have a battery-operated pack to help clean the wound throughout the day. After almost eight weeks, she was taken off the machine this week.
The whole experience has taken a toll on her both physically and mentally, she says.
Edwards feels that being admitted to hospital for 10 days robbed her of precious early time with her newborn daughter.
“It has been intense, especially as a first-time mother.”
She believes there was a level of complacency in the way she was treated and that her concerns were brushed aside. She is calling on hospital staff to ensure another parent doesn’t go through the same ordeal.
“I believe this outcome could have been avoided if my concerns had been listened to.”
Edwards has since laid a formal complaint with North Shore Hospital and the Health and Disability Commissioner.
Te Whatu Ora Health NZ’s group director of operations Waitematā, Brad Healy, acknowledged that Edwards’ complaint had been received.
“Health New Zealand takes all patient complaints seriously and they are thoroughly reviewed,” he said in a statement.
“We are currently reviewing the patient’s complaint and can’t comment further at this time.”
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