“Would Have Had An Abortion!” Couple Sue NHS For Failing To Spot Baby’s Disability

A couple identified as Amanda McGuinn and Paul, both 38, have lodged a legal bid against Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, citing ‘wrongful birth’.

According to The Sun, the couple claimed they ‘would have had an abortion’ if they had known their young daughter, Matilda, who was born in 2008 very small with ‘profound microcephaly’ had the condition while she was still pregnant.

The condition, seen in Zika victims, stops brain development and causes intellectual disability, poor motor function, poor speech, abnormal facial features, seizures, low life expectancy and dwarfism.

Amanda and Paul argue doctors were negligent in failing to spot the “abnormalities”.

The building firm owners of Lee, South East London, are now suing Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust in a “wrongful birth” case at the High Court.

Although Matilda is now a much loved part of the family, her parents want compensation for the extra cost of Matilda’s round-the-clock care, and if successful, the compensation could run into millions.

Angus McCullough QC, for the couple, said: “With proper antenatal care significant abnormalities apparent during ultrasound scanning would have been acted upon.”

He added that if the couple had been alerted after scans at 30 and 35 weeks, the couple would have been referred for counselling and then chosen to abort.

The trust however denies the care is at fault, while hospital chiefs say a referral would not have led to the couple being offered a choice to abort.

The hearing continues.

Photo credit: The Sun