A MONMOUTHSHIRE teacher has claimed she suffered a serious bladder injury after she was discharged from hospital after giving birth to her son without proper checks by a doctor.

Laura Price, from Caldicot, was admitted to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital on November 9, 2018, for a planned induction of labour after suffering from pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.

She went into labour on November 12, and gave birth to her son Billy at around 10am the following morning.

A catheter fitted during labour was removed at 6pm, and afterwards, Mrs Price complained of bladder problems, but said she was sent home by doctors without a review two days later.

Mrs Price said she raised concerns about her bladder problems at a community midwife review on November 16 and 17, and was re-admitted to hospital on November 18 to have a catheter fitted.

She said she continued to have problems over the coming weeks, and had to self-catheterise up to 11 times a day.

Three months after giving birth, she said she was diagnosed with an over distension injury to her bladder. Her symptoms persisted and she had to self-catheterise for nearly a year.

This stopped by the end of 2019, but after falling pregnant with her second child in 2020, Mrs Price’s symptoms returned and she had to self-catheterise again.

Mrs Price, 34, has instructed medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether more could have been done by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to prevent her injury.

When asked for if they would like to comment on Mrs Price’s case, a spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “It would be inappropriate to comment whilst investigations are ongoing, but our best wishes go to Ms Price.”

In papers submitted to the High Court, Irwin Mitchell said that as a result of her injury, Mrs Price is at lifelong risk of developing recurring bladder issues and water infections.

Her legal team have said that steps were not taken quickly enough to deliver her baby after she started active pushing at around 5am on November 13, 2018, and there had been no real advancement in her labour.

In accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, a delay in Mrs Price’s second stage labour should have been suspected by 6.30am and diagnosed at 7am, said her legal team.

Lawyers say the prolonged second stage labour caused Mrs Price’s bladder injury during birth.

Her legal team also argue that, if a bladder scan had been performed by midnight on November 13, 2018, it would have shown she was retaining urine. A catheter would have been fitted, and Mrs Price would have undergone monitoring and would not have suffered ongoing symptoms, they said.

They added that Mrs Price should not have been discharged from hospital on November 15 without being reviewed by a doctor.

Mrs Price said she hopes that legal proceedings in the High Court will provide her with answers.

She also wants to raise awareness of the impact birth trauma can have on parents, and is supporting Birth Trauma Awareness Week – which runs until July 24.

“When you go into hospital to have a child you never expect this sort of thing to happen,” said Mrs Price.

“It was only a few hours after giving birth that I started feeling something wasn’t right. I felt like I needed to pass water but wasn’t able to.

“I was surprised when I was sent home without being reviewed by a doctor as I still didn’t feel right.

“My symptoms continued not only for a few weeks but months. The longer they went on the more they affected me, not just physically but emotionally. I suffered pain and discomfort as well as embarrassment as to what I was going through.

“Before I was relatively fit and healthy and in my 30s and suddenly I was having to self-catheterise up to 11 times a day.

“Even now I still don’t feel right. Although I don’t have to self-catheterise at present it feels like the prospect of having to do so remains hanging over me.

“Nothing can make up for what I’ve been through but I feel I deserve answers to the concerns I have.

“Initially I felt embarrassed but the more I researched about birth trauma the more I realised other women are affected. While it’s still a subject some women may not feel comfortable talking about I hope that by speaking out I can help raise awareness of the help and support that’s available. Women shouldn’t have to go through something like this alone.”

A court hearing to set down case management is due to be listed in Cardiff High Court.