Mum sues NHS Lothian health board after baby born with severe brain damage

A West Lothian mum whose baby was born with severe brain damage says her concerns during labour were ignored.

Caitlyn Pratt, from Armadale, has launched legal action against NHS Lothian following the death of her daughter Lacie shortly after her second birthday.

Caitlyn has many photos from her daughter’s short life – precious memories she now holds close.

But she says she wonders every day whether the outcome would have been different if Lacie’s birth had been treated more urgently.

Her search for answers has led to her suing NHS Lothian.

Caitlyn told STV News: “I done it for my daughter. It wasn’t going to make her any better, it wasn’t going to change who she was, but she didn’t deserve that.

“So I’m going to fight for her to make sure something gets done about it.”

Caitlyn went to St John’s Hospital in August 2024 after collapsing in pain at home when she was 37 weeks pregnant.

She said: “By the time I got to St John’s I had no feeling in my left hand, my left arm, and my tongue – it just went numb.

“I said that to the nurse when I got into the ward and I got nothing back in return.”

Caitlyn was put on a monitor to check the baby’s condition and was told everything was fine.

But a more senior midwife arrived to assess the situation after she expressed concern.

Caitlyn explained: “She looked at the monitor and went ‘you’re not going home, I’m breaking your waters’.

“As soon as they broke, I noticed they were pink and red and I indicated straightaway ‘you need to get the baby out of me now.'”

Lacie was eventually delivered by emergency caesarean four hours later. She was later diagnosed with severe brain damage as a result of oxygen deprivation and a placental abruption.

“I just think they were thinking because I was young, I didn’t really know what I was talking about,” said Caitlyn.

An adverse events review concluded it is likely a different treatment plan or delivery of care would have been expected to result in a different outcome.

NHS Lothian said it could not comment due to the ongoing legal action but confirmed an intensive action plan is under way to improve women’s services.

Jonathan Howat, of Thompsons Solicitors, said: “What we know from the health board’s own review is that numerous steps should have been taken earlier that weren’t.”