A YOUNG Farnham couple left distraught after their baby was stillborn at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford, say they told the hospital something was wrong six weeks before the birth. Chris Parratt, 23, and Fiona Culley, 17, from Wrecclesham asked the Royal Surrey for help after Fiona's waters broke at 28 weeks, but, the couple claim, she was told to 'go home and stop being so paranoid'. Fiona repeated her concerns to the hospital eight times over a period of two weeks requesting tests be done, but each time she made the 10-mile journey to the Royal Surrey she was told by the maternity department there was nothing wrong and no tests were needed. Millie Parratt was born prematurely, six weeks later at 34 weeks, stillborn on November 12, 2007, and it is believed that she had been dead for at least a day by the time of the birth. An autopsy revealed that Millie had died from an infection, which the couple believe could have been avoided if the hospital had acted sooner. Fiona Culley said: "When my waters broke at 28 weeks I went straight up the hospital, but they told me not to worry and sent me home again. After a few days I stared bleeding and I had a green discharge and I knew that something wrong, especially as this is my second baby. "I went up to the hospital eight times over the next two weeks and each time they kept me hanging round for five or six hours before they told me to go home. I asked them to do tests, but they wouldn't. Apparently it was only my front waters which had broken so they weren't concerned. "After Millie died they did an autopsy and we got the results on January 14. They found she had died of an infection, which I know they should have picked up on." Chris Parratt said: "We're really angry about this and we don't think the hospital should get away with it. Fiona told them something was wrong weeks before Millie was born, but they did nothing. In fact they treated her quite badly and we think it is was because she was a young mother. It's not right. "We are now seeing a solicitor and talking about suing the hospital. We've sent them a letter requesting a full investigation. If they don't agree then we will talk to our solicitor about further action. "If they agree to an investigation we need to wait for the outcome before we can go further. So all we can do right now is wait for the response to our letter. "We have also talked to the stillborn charity Sands and they think what happened is completely wrong. They have provided emotional support and practical advice to help us through this time." A spokesman for the Royal Surrey said: "All we can say at this time is that our sympathies are with Mr Parratt and Miss Culley at this time and we would welcome a meeting to discuss the issue with the couple to see what we can do." The Surrey Sands website describes their organisation as "a national self-help organisation and registered charity, established to support the parents of babies who have died during pregnancy or soon after birth. "The charity is divided into a network of local groups of which Surrey Sands is one. We are all volunteers, but more importantly we are all bereaved parents ourselves enabling us to offer empathic support." For more information about Surrey Sands visit their website at http://www.surrey-sands.org.uk">www.surrey-sands.org.uk or for help and support call the special helpline number 07817 410075.
