Woman lost baby after GP epilepsy drug advice failure

Victoria McMahon now has a two-year-old son

A woman lost her unborn baby after her doctor failed to highlight dangers posed by her epilepsy drugs, a medical expert has claimed.

Victoria McMahon, 37, underwent a termination when she was belatedly told there was a high chance her child would have brain damage and severe deformity.

She was awarded £150,000 in a settlement by her GP Dr Amita Singh.

Dr Singh said she had offered the "appropriate advice", but later settled out of court.

• New ban on epilepsy drug in pregnancy

Ms McMahon, from Liverpool, said the trauma of the ordeal in 2011 and her subsequent seven-year fight for justice led her to almost "doing something silly" as she struggled to come to terms with the loss of the boy, who she had named Jake.

"It's never been about money," she said. "This wouldn't have happened if my doctor had told me about the risks of the sodium valproate medication on that first visit.

"I agreed to settle before going to court, but I don't feel like I've won anything."

Ms McMahon, who now has a two-year-old son, said she needed counselling to try to move on with her life.

Lawyers on behalf of Dr Amita Singh agreed to settle a civil claim for fees and costs amounting to £150,000

According to court documents she first visited Dr Amita Singh at Speke Neighbourhood Health Centre in November 2010 seeking advice over whether she could conceive.

Ms McMahon was referred to an infertility clinic, but while she was waiting for that appointment she became pregnant.

She returned to see Dr Singh in December 2010, but medical expert Dr Alastair Bint, who examined Ms McMahon's claim, said she was not given "detailed advice" about sodium valproate risks.

This was "a clear breach of duty of care in my view", Dr Bint added.

A claim document served to Liverpool County Court said "any competent general practitioner" would have been aware anti-epileptic medication, including sodium valproate, carries a significant risk of "foetal malformation".

In the court papers Dr Singh said she offered appropriate advice, although her medical notes did not mention it.

Ms McMahon said she was finally informed by a specialist in February 2011 that her baby had a 86% chance of being born with foetal valproate syndrome which causes brain damage and "major physical deformity."

She then decided to terminate the pregnancy.

"Jake looked perfect," said Ms McMahon. "I will never know whether he had all the things wrong with him."

A spokeswoman for the Medical Defence Union, which represented Dr Singh, said the GP was unable to comment due to "patient confidentiality."

Speke Neighbourhood Medical Centre also declined to comment.