The tragic outcome of the birth of a newborn baby girl at Amfissa General Hospital has caused a storm of reactions and countless questions surrounding the circumstances that led to her death. At the centre of it all, a family who saw their dreams shattered and a local community demanding answers as to whether this tragedy could have been prevented.

This is the case of the death of a newborn girl on July 5, 2023 at the Amfissa General Hospital, a case that is under thorough investigation by the competent authorities. The mother, a private employee, and her husband were looking forward to the birth of their first child. The pregnancy, which began in October 2022, was progressing without any problems, with all prenatal tests, including cervical slide and non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), showing that the foetus was healthy. During the pregnancy, the mother followed the instructions of the attending gynecologist, who described the pregnancy as “normal” and even talked about a “super” baby, the parents said in their complaint to the Phocis Medical Association. Regular visits to the doctor, ultrasound scans and cardiograms indicated that everything was progressing smoothly. Even when there was the need to administer medication to suppress premature birth in June 2023, the doctors assured the family that the baby was healthy and the birth could be planned as normal.

From expectation to tragedy
On July 3, 2023, the mother was admitted to the obstetrics clinic of Amfissa Hospital for induced labor. Initially, drugs were administered to induce labor, and during the day progress was made in the cervical dilation procedure. However, the intense pain and exhaustion led the mother to request a caesarean section, which was refused by the attending physician, who claimed that everything was proceeding normally. “Both of us were overjoyed and eager to hold our offspring in our arms. We didn’t even think about the tragedy we were about to experience.”

By the early morning of July 5, the mother had reached complete exhaustion, and labor was not complete. Despite her pleas for a cesarean section, the doctor decided to continue the procedure normally, using a suction cup (suction embryo bag) for a long time and applying intense pressure on the mother’s abdomen. According to the family, these actions led to serious injuries to the baby’s head and body. The parents say in their complaint: “Seeing that I have no other strength they ( the doctor and midwife) engaged in a frantic, rabid and violent attempt to force the baby out. In particular, the said doctor, obviously irritated, continued to use the suction cup incessantly, while the midwife threw herself on my chest with the full weight of her body, completely depriving me of the ability to breathe, even though I had already reported that I was having difficulty breathing. I heard him say that the baby’s head was swollen, yet he continued to use the suction cup.”

At 07:10, according to the mother’s account, two other midwives, whose names she did not know, entered the delivery room to assist in the pushing process. However, despite their presence, there was no result. At 07:20, as she described it, unable to bear the unbearable pain, the difficulty in breathing and the brutality which she said was shown by both the doctor and the midwife, she began to cry out for help. At that moment, the doctor, as she described, ordered the operating room to be prepared to proceed with a caesarean section. However, by the time the stretcher arriving to take her to the operating room arrived, he asked her to try to push again. At the same time, the child’s heart activity was constantly monitored by a cardiotocograph, and the pulse was clearly visible both to her inside the delivery room and to her husband who was just outside. Shortly after 07:20, before she was taken to the operating room, the doctor exited the delivery room and informed her husband that the delivery would be by cesarean section. Her husband, as the mother explained, was surprised and very worried as he noticed that the protective cover worn by the doctor over his gown was covered with blood. This fact caused him great distress, as nothing similar had been observed in any of the videotaped births they had seen on the internet. In addition, the mother reported that they later learned from a cleaning lady that the delivery room presented a horrifying picture. The employee described to them that there was blood everywhere, even on the walls, which added even more anxiety and fear to the procedure they had experienced.

The forensics
Shortly before 8:00am, the baby was stillborn, with obvious craniocerebral injuries. “Our child was dead with a deformed head and a compressed body from prolonged and violent use of the suction cup, the parents complained.

The coroner in charge of the investigation concluded that the death was caused by these injuries, which were attributed to the obstetric manipulations applied. In the death certificate signed by the coroner, Christophorus X. Chalikidis, the cause of death is established as craniocerebral injuries as a result of the obstetric manipulations, pending laboratory tests. The mother suffered severe bleeding during the procedure and required a blood transfusion. According to her, the delivery room was full of blood and her health deteriorated in the following days. She complains that, despite the seriousness of her condition, the attending physician took leave immediately after the incident, leaving her without the necessary follow-up.

Periodic NDEs
The case prompted the immediate intervention of the 5th Health District, which ordered an EID to be conducted. The initial finding did not reach clear conclusions, citing contradictions in the statements of those involved. A supplementary NDE followed, which concluded that the attending physician had been negligent in the performance of his duties.

In a supplementary NDE, the conducting doctor concluded that the disciplinary offence of Article 107(1), i.e. negligent performance of official duties, was established for this gynaecologist. According to the conclusion of the supplementary investigation, the manipulations applied during childbirth were inadequate and did not meet the required medical standards. The doctor was called to apologize and a final decision on disciplinary sanctions is expected by the end of the year.

The infant’s family has filed petitions and letters of apology with the relevant authorities, requesting a full investigation into the case. They complain that the tragic outcome could have been avoided if the right decisions had been taken at the right time. Particularly striking is the complaint of the father, who said that the doctor in charge of the case told him that“it might have been better that the baby was stillborn, because he might have had problems later in life.” This statement, according to the family, demonstrates the lack of professionalism and sensitivity on the part of the doctor. “From the above, it becomes clear that the said doctor with his obstetric manipulations killed our child. He harmed the first of us by engaging in extreme intensive manipulations,” the parents say in their complaint. THEMA contacted the doctor involved in the case, who continues to perform his duties at the hospital in Amfissa. Through his wife, he said he does not want to make any statement on the matter.

The family, despite the untold pain they are experiencing, says they are determined to pursue legal action for accountability. As they state, the loss of their child is a trauma that will never heal, but they are hopeful that justice will serve as a means of restoring the truth.