St. Petersburg maternity hospital negligence leaves child disabled
A criminal case on doctor negligence has been initiated against one of St. Petersburg«s maternity hospitals. According to the mother, due to improper actions by medical personnel, her son was born with severe pathologies and became disabled.
Svetlana gave birth to a boy in September 2024. According to her recollection, the pregnancy proceeded without complications, but two days before childbirth, her condition worsened. The child was born without signs of life, survived after resuscitation, but became disabled.
In August of the same year, the family signed a contract with the maternity hospital, choosing recommended specialists. On September 9, at the 39th week, the woman experienced abdominal pain.
The doctor assured me that this was normal, even though I was already at 39 weeks. I gave birth to my daughter [first child] around this term,Svetlana said.
The tablet taken on the doctor«s advice didn»t help, and on September 10, Svetlana went to the consultation, where she was strongly advised to go to the hospital. Contacting her doctor, who was on a day off, she encountered irritation from her. She examined the patient and decided to suppress labor activity.
On September 11, the woman in labor had green-colored water break. She asked for a cesarean section, but, according to her, the doctor refused, insisting on natural childbirth. Svetlana«s husband, although the contract provided for his presence, was not allowed into the delivery room without explanation. Soon, bleeding began, which the medic called normal.
According to the materials of the criminal case, Svetlana had a premature placental abruption. An emergency cesarean section was performed, as a result of which
a full-term boy was extracted, without signs of live birth.After successful resuscitation, the child was transferred to a children«s hospital in the evening of the same day.
The infant has been diagnosed with severe damage to the central nervous system.
The child cannot see, cannot hear, and is fed through a tube. Palliative status indicates that his [son«s] lifespan is very limited,the mother explained.
The criminal case under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Russian Criminal Code (negligence) was initiated only in December 2025.
In the official response of the maternity hospital to Svetlana«s request, it was acknowledged that the quality of medical care provided was inadequate. The administration of the institution imposed a disciplinary penalty in the form of a reprimand on the obstetrician-gynecologist doctor.
