DHB sorry for taking placental tissue

A woman who lost her baby two months into her pregnancy has received an apology from Whanganui District Health Board (DHB) after her placental tissue was sent away for a week without her knowledge.

Aroha Williams requested to keep her baby after she underwent ectopic surgery at Wanganui Hospital on June 15 because her baby was growing in the fallopian tube and not the uterus.

However, hospital staff told her they could not find her baby when she was discharged four days later, the Wanganui Chronicle reported.

She was told the placental tissue had been sent to Medlab in Palmerston North for testing.

Wanganui Hospital called her several days later, on June 24, to inform her the tissue had been returned to the hospital.

"I just wanted to get my baby back to get closure," Ms Williams said.

"Why did I have to go through more pain trying to find out where my baby was?"

Ms Williams met hospital officials last week and was told an investigation had been launched.

Whanganui DHB spokeswoman Jeanette Woltman-Black said it had apologised to Ms Williams, and acknowledged she had not been adequately informed the tissue had been sent away for testing.

Tissue testing was a routine procedure unless the patient refused, and the seven day testing period was reasonable, she said.

- NZPA