Mother was being treated for multiple organ failure, hospital says

St Joseph Mercy maternal death

St Joseph Mercy Hospital on Monday said that Jaiwanti Chanderpaul, who died along with her newborn baby at the institution after an emergency C-section last week, had been treated for multiple organ failure, which was a complication of the HELLP syndrome.

The hospital released a statement confirming the two recent deaths, which it said were thoroughly investigated by the hospital to ensure that quality care was administered.

“The patient was treated for multi-organ failure, a complication of HELLP syndrome. HELLP syndrome is a life-threatening condition related

Jaiwanti Chanderpaul
Jaiwanti Chanderpaul

to a mother having a severe case of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia hypertension,” the statement from the hospital said.

The hospital expressed its sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of the patient as they mourn the loss of their loved one.

Chanderpaul, 25, of Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara, died a day after her newborn baby last week at the hospital.

Raymond Mohammed, the dead woman’s partner, told this newspaper on Saturday that while his wife was a patient at the hospital she received the best care.

He added that she was kept in the hospital for two weeks before a decision was made to perform a caesarean-section when Chanderpaul was seven months pregnant.

However, Mohammed said, she got weaker as time passed and a decision was made to have the C-section done when Chanderpaul was six months two weeks pregnant.

He added that his wife’s lungs collapsed, which led to her death. In addition, the baby was premature, making survival uncertain.