When the Unborn Meets Messrs’ Bolam and Bolitho

Authors

  • George Gregory Buttigieg Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Malta, Malta Author
  • Kirill Micallef-Stafrace Visiting professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Plovdiv Medical University, Bulgaria Author
  • Nicola Micallef-Stafrace Community practitioner with special interest in Aesthetic Medicine Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47363/JMHC/2021(3)149

Keywords:

Unborn, Medico-legal, Court, intrapartum CTG, Fetal distress, Labour, Bolitho Test

Abstract

The medico-legal world can no longer be kept at arms’ length by clinicians practising any medical specialty. This is of course particularly applicable to the world of caring for the unborn, one of the most disciplines which has and still does bear the brunt of Court litigation and crippling awarded quanta. The subject is analysed here with particular reference to medico-legal litigation particularly applicable to labour, the period of greatest legal vulnerability. Bringing in the analysis of the circumstances leading to intrapartum fatal damage and the scrutiny of available instruments of gauging fatal well-being such as electronic fatal monitoring, the complex situation is put under the lens of two major legal principles – those of the Bolam and Bolitho tests.

Author Biographies

  • George Gregory Buttigieg, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Malta, Malta

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Malta, Malta

  • Kirill Micallef-Stafrace, Visiting professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Plovdiv Medical University, Bulgaria

    Visiting professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Plovdiv Medical University, Bulgaria

  • Nicola Micallef-Stafrace, Community practitioner with special interest in Aesthetic Medicine

    Community practitioner with special interest in Aesthetic Medicine

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Published

2021-04-15

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2021): Volume 3 Issue 2

Section

Articles