Newly released information provides more insight into what led to the death of Christine Fields, a 30-year-old Black woman who died after giving birth at a Brooklyn, New York, hospital last year.
Fields passed away in mid-November after undergoing a cesarean section at Woodhull Medical Center. While there, the mother of three went into a medical crisis, and staff performed the procedure. Her fiancé, Jose Perez, claimed she did not want the surgery that was not a part of her original birth plan.
“Her baby’s heart rate drops, and there’s fetal distress,” Ira Newman, the family’s attorney, previously explained to local news. “She’s rushed in for a C-section, and we are investigating and have learned from the [medical examiner’s] office that there was pooling blood.”
The New York Times secured a two-page document of initial findings from the New York State Department of Health’s investigation. The notes were created on Dec. 18, just over a month after her passing, and reveal that a mistake by the medical staff played a role in what happened, citing miscommunication.
It claims the surgeons failed to notify other members about Fields’ complications from the procedure — which notably breaches the safety and health regulations. It mentions a “uterine arterial injury” which ultimately resulted “in maternal death,” according to the report.
Perez recalled Fields’ condition after the surgery, adding that something was visibly wrong with his fiancée in the hours after her son was delivered and brought it to the staff’s attention. He alleged that the staff did not notice her complications.
The Times noted that the documentation doesn’t include her name or a thorough description of the C-section. However, a doctor, who did not want to be identified, confirmed with the outlet that it refers to Fields’ case. Their probe is still ongoing in the labor and delivery unit.
In addition, the Times reported that two other anonymous sources who work at the facility claimed that some staff members were urged to go to training or review the policies after Fields’ incident. Per the document, the department informed the hospital’s leadership that “there is need for immediate action for patients undergoing procedures to prevent serious adverse outcome.”
Fields’ family announced their plans to sue the hospital for $41 million, alleging “careless and negligent” treatment, WABC reported. When asked to issue a statement regarding her death, the NYC Health and Hospital system said they’ve improved their protocols and hired two new individuals in the anesthesiology and obstetrics departments.
“Across our health system we are using innovative interventions that we believe will address the disparities and race-based health care gaps that historically and disproportionally affect the diverse population of patients we proudly serve,” the statement said, per the outlet.
The mother of three’s death is a grim reminder that Black women are more likely than their counterparts from other racial groups to die from pregnancy-related factors.
