Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists announced that two mothers who died from herpes must be investigated thoroughly.
The cases of Kimberly Sampson, 29, and Samantha Mulchay, 32, need to be looked into because ‘surgical infection appears to be a significant possibility’.
The professional association also said advice on how women who have just given birth are treated for sepsis will change.
Ms Sampson died after complications following a C-section at Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent.
Ms Mulchay died six weeks later at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, which is run by the same NHS Trust.
One possibility is that both mother and surgeon might have been infected during an operation.
Kimberly Sampson, 29, was a ‘brilliant mummy’ who was ‘fun’, ‘loving’, and had ‘lots of friends’, her mother Yvette Sampson said
Samantha Mulchay, pictured with her husband Ryan, went into labour four weeks ahead of her due date and went into the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, run by the same Trust as Ms Sampson’s hospital, in July 2018
President of the RCOG Edward Morris today said their deaths should be ‘fully investigated’ as ‘surgical infection appears to be a significant possibility’.
According to him, routine investigations and management of maternal Sepsis should always be done with consideration of viral causes. It is important that appropriate modifications are made in order to facilitate earlier diagnosis and treatment.
HSV-1, which is the second strain of herpesvirus, rarely results in death for healthy persons.
Ms. Sampson, however, and Ms. Mulchay both died of the virus-related infection just six weeks apart in May and Jul 2018.
East Kent Hospitals Trust claimed it was unable to identify the source and said the surgeon didn’t have any history with the virus.
A pathologist who investigated the deaths believed the women had been infected before they were admitted to hospital.
Peter Greenhouse, a sexual health consultant said that it is very unlikely that they have it.
His explanation was that it is most likely the infections were accidentally passed to the women by the surgeon during the C-section.
It is possible that the surgeon may have suffered from a herpes infection, which could have “directly seeded herpes into women’s abdomens.”
Ms Sampson was a barber and lived with her daughter of three years in Whitstable.
After having a healthy pregnancy, Ms Sampson was admitted to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate’s labour ward. She thought that everything would be okay and went to bed. However, she was not able to get her labor to progress quickly. Her mother kept telling her that the baby was still stuck.
The doctor performed the C-section, and she delivered her son. However, Ms Sampson had to receive a blood transfusion because of injuries suffered during the procedure.
After two days she asked for her discharge, however, she was still in severe pain and couldn’t walk.
She was able to leave the hospital together with her mother. However, the pain became so severe that even a small touch could cause her pain.
Ms. Sampson, who was unconscious at the time of her accident, was transported by an ambulance back to the hospital.
Ms Mulchay entered labor four weeks earlier than her due date.
Doctors believed she had bacterial sepsis, so Ms Sampson was sent back to the maternity ward and given antibiotics, but her condition became worse.
After a string of surgeries, doctors struggled with the diagnosis and treatment. Eight days later, a consultant microbiologist recommended Aciclovir, an antiviral medication used for treating herpes.
Ms. Sampson received a diagnosis of a severe case of herpes at Kings College Hospital. Her death occurred on May 22.
Six weeks later, Ms Mulchay was a nurse in a nursery, and she died from the same disease six weeks later. She lived only 20 miles away from Ms Sampson.
Ms Mulchay entered labor 4 weeks earlier than her due date. In Ashford, the William Harvey Hospital was opened. It is run by the Same Trust as Ms Sampson’s Ashford hospital in July 2018.
Following 17 hours worth of painless contractions, the woman was tired and in pain. After worrying blood results, she was referred for C-section.
The healthy birth of Ms Mulchay was a blessing. However, doctors had to keep the mother under observation.
Three days later, she began to show signs of deterioration, including a swelling stomach and elevated blood pressure.
Doctors also though Ms Mulchay had bacterial sepsis, but, like Ms Sampson, antibiotics did not work.
Ms Mulchay was admitted to intensive care for four days. The doctor offered antiviral medications, but the department of microbiology advised them that they should continue taking antibiotics.
Drs called London’s hospital to help. They tried to stabilize the patient but could not save it.
A post-mortem revealed that Ms Mulchay died from multi-organ failure following a ‘disseminated herpes simplex type 1 infection’, meaning an overwhelming infection caused by HSV-1.
The infection was not found in either mother or child.
Two women had a “primary infection”, meaning they were infected with herpes for the first time.
Public Health England provided documents to Ms Sampson’s family. They revealed two email chains that linked the East Kent Hospitals Trust and some NHS bodies as well as staff from PHE. A private laboratory called Micropathology was also included.
The emails are partially redacted by PHE in order to conceal the identities of the people involved. someone from the Trust reveals that the same two clinicians – a midwife and the surgeon who carried out the C-sections – had taken part in the deliveries of both babies.
The families were notified by Katrina Hepburn, the coroner, that there wouldn’t be an inquest. She acknowledged the similarities but said there wasn’t a connection.
Dr Rebecca Martin (Chief Medical Officer East Kent Hospitals) said, “Our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of Kimberley, Samantha, and their loved ones.”
Following the 2018 tragic deaths of Samantha and Kimberley, the ‘East Kent Hospitals’ sought expert support from Public Health England.
“The Trust’s and Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch’s investigations found that neither the source nor the mode of infection could be identified. They sought advice from several experts.
“The hand injuries that may have led to infection or a history of the virus did not affect the surgeon performing both caesareans.
The treatment of Samantha and Kimberley was determined by the various symptoms that they experienced during their illnesses.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these victims. We will address their questions as best we can.”