Woman died of acute blood coagulation problem after
giving birth
By Ng Baoying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 July 2007 0631
hrs
SINGAPORE : A woman who died after giving birth to twins had
succumbed to Disseminated Intra-vascular Coagulopathy (DIVC), an
acute blood coagulation problem arising from massive bleeding and
transfusion.
In a statement, a Raffles Hospital spokesman said 44-year-old Madam
Swee Lay Kuan - who had a twin pregnancy - was admitted on July 5
for bleeding. This was a result of a low-lying placenta (Placenta
Praevia).
While in the ward, she continued to have bleeding.
As there was a continuing threat of premature labour, and in the
interests of the twins' safety, Madam Swee was scheduled for
Caesarean section on July 7.
During surgery, massive bleeding was encountered and emergency
blood transfusion was immediately started.
The hospital obtained further units of blood from the Centre for
Transfusion Medicine (CTM).
The spokesman added that as is customary in cases like this,
relatives and well-wishers were requested to assist in replenishing
of the stocks at CTM.
Madam Swee was given large amounts of blood and blood products
while she was in the Intensive Care Unit. But she developed and
subsequently succumbed to DIVC, an acute blood coagulation
problem.
The [email protected] said blood is provided to all patients at all
times, based on clinical needs. And all bleeding emergencies are
given first priority.
Madam Swee's family had suspected that she died because the
hospital did not have enough blood in its supply.
According to the family, hospital staff had told them that its
blood supply was running low.
Madam Swee's husband, Jason Low, said a hospital staff told him
that a request for more blood would have to be approved by higher
authorities.
And if the family wanted more blood, they would have to round up
others to donate some at the blood bank.
So on Sunday morning (8 July), about 200 of their relatives and
friends turned up to donate blood at the blood bank. And the family
said blood was released after that.
But Madam Swee died that night.
Her death certificate states that she died of cardio-respiratory
failure, pending an investigation.
Her family is appreciative of the hard work put in by hospital
staff, but they felt that the process of withdrawing blood was too
slow.
In response, the [email protected] said all requests for blood and
blood products for Madam Swee were fully supported. And that the
supply of blood is not dependant on replacement donation.
Every hospital holds units of emergency blood which can be given to
patients immediately during any bleeding emergency.
If there is sudden, unanticipated, massive bleeding emergency, the
hospital will send a sample of the patient's blood to the Bloodbank
for group and cross matching.
The blood is then issued to the hospital porter immediately after
cross matching, which can be processed within 30 minutes. -
CNA/de