Calgary baby born in toilet after hospital sends woman home
Calgary baby born in toilet after hospital sends woman home
Less than two hours after a pregnant Calgary woman says she was sent home from the hospital because staff told her she wasn’t ready to give birth, the woman delivered her daughter in a toilet at her northwest home.
The case has prompted a review by Alberta Health Services, who waived Friday a $703.52 ambulance bill that was sent to new mother Gyna Gonzalez after two ambulances rushed to her house to transport her, her husband and her new baby girl to Foothills Hospital.
“I’m grateful for the job of the paramedics but it’s (the hospital’s) fault,” said Gonzalez, who was angry at being billed and refused to pay.
“If you go to the hospital, it’s because you think they have people that know about (pregnancy) who will help you.”
After the Herald contacted Alberta Health Services for a response to Gonzalez’s concerns, the health authority apologized for the “misunderstanding” and agreed to waive the ambulance bill.
“Upon further review and taking into consideration the unique circumstances, these bills are being waived,” Brenda Huband, a senior executive with AHS, said in a brief statement, adding an internal review of the case is underway.
Gonzalez said her ordeal started in the early morning hours of March 22, the day after her due date.
With contractions coming every five minutes, Gonzalez was driven to Foothills Hospital by her husband around 1 a.m.
Once there, Gonzalez said she was told by a doctor she was less than two centimetres dilated. She said the doctor told her it was going to be awhile until she went into labour and there wasn’t room for her at the hospital.
Gonzalez said staff gave her morphine and Gravol and at approximately 2:45 a.m., her husband drove the couple back to their home.
Back at home, Gonzalez was in “crazy pain” and her contractions became more frequent.
Her six-year-old son and mother were also at her home, and Gonzalez said her son was woken up by her screams.
Her husband suggested she go upstairs to try to rest and Gonzalez said while walking up the stairs, she felt her water break.
“I told my husband something is wrong, start calling 911,” Gonzalez recalled.
Gonzalez said she rushed to the bathroom around 4:30 a.m. and could see her daughter’s head.
Soon, a seven pound, two ounce baby girl was born in the toilet.
“She came fast, like two seconds and that was it. I didn’t even push, nothing. She came like that,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said her new baby was blue and purple and wasn’t responsive.
“I still remember her face. She wasn’t doing anything. I was thinking she was dead.”
Paramedics soon arrived, the baby’s umbilical cord was cut and Gonzalez and her new daughter were taken to hospital in an ambulance, with Gonzalez’ husband following in a second emergency vehicle.
Gonzalez said hospital staff were surprised to see the couple — and their tiny new addition — back so soon.
“We were there like one hour before. They were saying, what happened? What happened? What happened?” she said.
Mother and daughter MaryAnn Castilla spent two days in hospital and today, more than three months since her scary arrival, Gonzalez’ daughter is a happy and healthy baby.