Mother and baby fighting for life after doctors get into violent delivery room brawl
By Nick Pisa
29th August 2010
A mother and her new born baby are fighting for their lives after a brawl between doctors in the delivery room resulted in complications as she gave birth.
Laura Salpietro, 30, had been rushed to hospital after her waters had broken but as she lay on a bed in agony, doctors argued over whether to deliver her first child naturally or by Caesarean.
Amazingly the row then became violent with punches being thrown while Laura's husband Matteo Molonia, 37, looked on horrified pleading for staff to stop and help his wife.
Yesterday officials said gynaecologist Vincenzo Benedetto and maternity unit doctor Antonio De Vivo had both been suspended from the Polyclinic Hospital in Messina on the Italian island of Sicily while the matter was investigated.
The argument led to almost an hour's delay before Laura gave birth by caesarean section but complications immediately set in as she suffered severe blood loss and had to have a hysterectomy, while her new born son Antonio had two cardiac arrests.
Today/yesterday both were in the intensive care department at the hospital under observation with medical staff saying they could not rule out brain damage to the baby as a result of the delay during the birth.
Shocked Mr Molonia said:'I risk losing my family because the medical team decided to start arguing in the delivery room.
'It's incredible I still can't believe two so called professionals would behave in such a way.
''I want to know why my wife and newborn son are now fighting for their lives. All I know is that we arrived at the hospital and Laura was on the bed and ready to give birth.
''The gynaecologist then started arguing with another doctor over whether she should give birth by Caesarean or naturally.
'Then they started fighting and it was unbelievable. I heard later there was bad blood between them already.''
Mr Molonia added that Dr Benedetto had been in favour of the Caesarean while the doctor had not and eventually little Antonio was born using this method.
He went on:''Afterwards I saw Dr Benedetto with his hand covered in blood and one of the nurses said he had punched a window during the row.
'The thing is at first they said everything was fine but it wasn't, none of them had the courage to tell me.
'Now they are fighting for their lives and it's because of these two doctors. I don't understand why she had to have the hysterectomy and because of that we can't have any more children.''
Furious Health Minister Ferruccio Fazio said:''This is a very serious matter. Exchanging blows with anyone is unforgivable but especially so when you are a doctor.''
A criminal case has also been opened after Mr Molonia complained to local police and both doctors have been questioned by police but neither has been charged with any offence.
Italy has the highest number of births by Caesarean section in Europe with almost 40% of babies being delivered surgically, according to the latest figures available.
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