Documents leaked to ABC news have revealed South Australia’s Health department may have miscalculated the due dates of more than 17-hundred pregnant women. While South Australia Health says it's not aware of any women who've been harmed an independent investigation has been launched with concerns some may have been induced too early.
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00:00Another SA Health bungle.
00:04Which has seen approximately 1700 women's records impacted who are having babies.
00:11An internal SA Health document seen by the ABC states over a six month period to June 5,
00:18the department's electronic medical records system potentially miscalculated pregnant women's estimated due dates.
00:26We've reviewed about 50% of these women now and we've found no cause for any concern.
00:31But the SA Health document states women may have been induced early based on incorrect estimates.
00:37Dr Brian Peat used to head the Women's and Children's Hospital's obstetrics unit.
00:42He says accurate calculations are crucial to ensuring safe births.
00:47If you have an elective caesarean section at 38 weeks, for example, instead of 39,
00:52you might find that the baby has more difficulty breathing.
00:55We call it TTN, transient tachypnea of the newborn.
00:58I really hope there's been no negative health outcomes for mothers or their babies and it's a huge concern.
01:06ABC News understands SA Health has not informed those patients whose medical records were impacted.
01:13An overt cover-up led by Robin Lawrence and Chris Pectin.
01:17Peter Malinowskis needs to step in and get rid of both of them.
01:21I think David Spears is being completely over the top
01:24and I completely defend Dr Robin Lawrence as an exceptional public sector leader.
01:29The Health Minister has ordered an independent review
01:32to be headed by SA's Commissioner for Excellence and Innovation in Health, Professor Keith McNeill.
01:38I have confidence that he will provide excellent advice in terms of what's happened here
01:43and ultimately how we can improve those systems.
01:46Mr Pectin says he expects the investigation will take months
01:50and the findings will be made public.
01:52SA Health says it hopes to finish reviewing all impacted medical records within weeks
01:57to determine whether any women or babies experienced adverse health outcomes.