Woman sues after stillbirth

A woman, whose baby was stillborn after it allegedly suffocated in her womb - despite repeated requests for an emergency Cesarean section, is suing the state for N$4 million in damages.Yvonne Pollmann and her husband Jacques, who live in Otjiwarongo, are suing the health minister, a certain Dr Biti (first name unknown) and Dr Felix Mutomba, both of whom work at the state hospital in the town.Pollmann was admitted to the hospital&#039;s maternity ward on 6 March 2022 after experiencing sustained and unbearable pain in her abdomen and back. According to her statement, the severe pain persisted from her admission at around 18:00 on Sunday until she was finally taken to the operating room on Tuesday at 01:15.According to her, she had to wait for 12 hours before an emergency C-section was performed, despite the severe pain she was experiencing.Her baby was allegedly not monitored during her admission and no ultrasound was performed, while she was also not instructed to refrain from eating or drinking fluids.During her admission, no blood tests were conducted to determine her blood type so that blood would be ready for a transfusion during an emergency C-section, she claimed.Inducing labourIn an attempt to induce labour and expedite the process, Pollmann was allegedly administered Cytotec on Monday at around 17:20 – orally and vaginally. Cytotec was supposed to increase her contractions within two hours. If this did not happen, an emergency C-section would be performed.According to the statement, she received an excessive dose of vaginal Cytotec.The pain Pollmann experienced allegedly led to the release of meconium from her unborn baby. Meconium is a baby&#039;s first stool - thick, dark green and consists of cells, proteins, fats and secretions like bile.The duration and frequency of her contractions were not monitored, she said, and due to the time it took to get from the initial diagnosis that her baby was in distress to the emergency C-section, the baby was stillborn.According to Pollmann, her baby received no emergency treatment, and was simply registered as a stillbirth. Due to the prolonged childbirth process, her baby suffocated and suffered severe brain damage, she claimed.Pollmann is claiming N$1 million each for emotional shock, trauma, inconvenience and future medical expenses related to psychological counselling to cope with the death of her baby.– henriette@republikein.com.na

Woman sues after stillbirth

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Woman sues after stillbirth

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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