Bled to Death after giving Birth

[barbwong_130]

I've found another web site which has statistics for just Hong Kong and gives a very positive image of our health system (both public and private together).

Hong Kong 2006 Year Book – Health – Introduction
http://www.yearbook.gov.hk/2006/en/08_01.htm
2006 Figures at a Glance
Infant Mortality Rate: 1.8 per 1,000 registered live births
Maternal Mortality Ratio: 0.0 per 100,000 registered live births
(Nil cases of registered maternal death)
Life Expectancy:
2006 - 79.5 (Male) and 82.5 (Female)
2033 - 85.6 (Male) and 88.0 (Female) projected

This infant morality rate was reported as the lowest in the world in 2006.

Hong Kong 2005 Year Book – Health – Introduction
http://www.yearbook.gov.hk/2005/en/08_01.htm
Vital Statistics in 2005
Infant Mortality Rate: 2.4 per 1,000 registered live births
Maternal Mortality Ratio: 1.8 per 100 000 registered live births
(One case of registered maternal death)
Life Expectancy:
2005 – 78.8 (Male) and 84.4 (Female)
2033 - 82.5 (Male) and 88.0 (Female) projected

 

[elephantine]

While I'd agree that both mistakes and unavoidable deaths happen everywhere and HK's record is relatively good, it still seems alarming that the necessary doctors at Adventist were not available when needed. I would imagine that this problem is less likely to happen in the major public hospitals in HK. The fact that private doctors routinely refer difficult cases to the public system is an indication that mothers and babies do carry a higher risk delivering in private hospitals should something unexpected happen.

 

[HappyV]

konradsmum - if you have a medical condition that makes a VB inadvisable, then you'd be able to get a CS at a public hospital. If it's a personal preference, maybe not so easy - but you'd probably get your wish. HK is notoriously CS happy - even in the public sector.

In the experiences of me and my friends who for 100% medical reasons simply cannot have a VB - they make you wait until 34/26 weeks before they will confirm a CS.

 

[jellybaby]

One of my friends knows the lady who died in Jan, and apprently she told the nurse that she was in pain and they told her it's normal and being her first baby she trust the nurse who only gave her some pain killer then it wasn't until her mum came to visit that they found out she was bleeding really bad.... this is so scary cause to a first time mum you just don't know what to expect and you trust the professionals to take care of you.

 

[shabu shabu]

My friend is a doctor who worked in peadiatrics at Queen Mary hospital, she said that the public hospitals in HK are much better than the private. Queen Mary is one of the best as they are a teaching and research hospital of HKU and have all the best equipment and facilities. Private hospitals do not have adequate facilities for serious complications, e.g. mothers and babies are transfered from matilda hospital to Queen Mary if there is an emergency situation.