Maternity Ward Nightmares: A Mother’s Harrowing Tale from Novokuznetsk
Maternity Ward Nightmares: A Mother’s Harrowing Tale from Novokuznetsk
Since the beginning of 2026, nine newborns have tragically passed away at Maternity Hospital No. 1 in Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo Oblast. This stark statistic is not just alarming; it represents a profound tragedy that has forever altered the lives of many families. The anticipation and joy of welcoming a new life have been shattered by the devastating words: “Your baby is no longer with us.”
The Outcry and Investigations
The deaths of newborns in Novokuznetsk have sparked widespread outrage and discussion across social media platforms. The majority of comments and reviews about the hospital are negative, with women sharing their painful experiences and the inhumane treatment they endured. Stories of verbal abuse and neglect by the medical staff are rampant. One woman recounted how her friend was told during labor, “It didn’t hurt when you were making the baby, but it hurts to give birth.”
The Investigative Committee has initiated two criminal cases following the deaths of the infants, citing negligence and manslaughter. The chief physician, Vitaly Kheraskov, has been removed from his position, and both local and federal health ministry inspections are underway. Initial findings suggest that intrauterine infections and low birth weight are the primary causes of the infants’ deaths. Several babies remain in the intensive care unit, fighting for their lives.
Personal Accounts of Horror
Natalia, who gave birth to her son in 2023, shared her harrowing experience at the hospital. The maternity ward had a notorious reputation among local residents, and many women resorted to paying bribes to ensure their safety. Natalia arrived at the hospital in labor, only to be met with hostility and negligence.
“I arrived at the hospital already in labor, and the midwife, the same one often mentioned by other mothers, snapped at me, ‘What makes you think you’re in labor?!’ She was groggy, as if I had woken her up at home. I explained that my water had broken and I was having contractions. The doctor examined me so roughly that I bled. I still don’t know if that was normal. She silently signaled the nurse to take me to the delivery room because the ultrasound showed a double cord entanglement, and a C-section was necessary,” Natalia recounted.
Natalia endured three hours of waiting in the ward, her contractions intensifying, while her attempts to call for help were met with indifference. The preparation for the C-section was equally traumatic. “It took three attempts to insert the catheter, with the nurse snapping, ‘What are you moaning about?’ On the operating table, I was tied down during a contraction. I begged for a minute, but the nurse forcefully spread my legs and inserted the catheter. I was in a state of panic and terror. I asked to be put under, and thankfully, the anesthesiologist complied. I woke up as they were stitching me up,” Natalia shared.
After the operation, Natalia was roughly transferred to a stretcher and then to her bed, with no regard for her pain or comfort. The first hours of recovery were agonizing, with Natalia having to beg for pain relief. Despite the ordeal, Natalia expressed gratitude for the compassionate nurses in the neonatal unit who cared for the babies.
“I stayed silent then, thinking it was just my bad luck. But now I regret not speaking up sooner. I hope that by sharing our stories, this nightmare at Maternity Hospital No. 1 will end, and things will change for the better,” Natalia concluded.
A Mother’s Tragedy
For Elizabeth, her stay at Maternity Hospital No. 1 in 2024 ended in tragedy with the loss of her baby. “I want to say that healthcare in Novokuznetsk is at rock bottom, and it’s not just the maternity wards that are problematic. When I went for my last ultrasound at 38 weeks, the doctor told me I wouldn’t make it to 40 weeks. The next day, at my appointment at the prenatal clinic, they said I had a long way to go. On June 20, 2024, at 39 weeks, I was admitted to the hospital, and my baby’s heartbeat was no longer detectable,” Elizabeth recounted.
Elizabeth experienced an antenatal fetal demise and had to deliver her stillborn baby. The emotional trauma was compounded by the callous treatment she received from the medical staff. “The junior medical staff kept saying, ‘Hurry up and give birth; your baby is already dead.’ Their attitude was inhumane. During labor, all the medical staff could think about was their lunch, discussing who was cutting cucumbers and who was cutting tomatoes. They placed me in a ward and later brought in a 16-year-old girl who had suffered the same tragedy. After I was discharged, they moved her to a ward with a mother and her newborn baby. It’s horrifying! How can they be so insensitive? In maternity wards, women are used to paying for ‘special treatment’ because they fear something might go wrong during childbirth,” Elizabeth shared.
Conclusion
The tragic events at Maternity Hospital No. 1 in Novokuznetsk highlight the urgent need for reform and accountability in the healthcare system. The personal accounts of Natalia and Elizabeth underscore the profound impact of medical negligence and the desperate need for compassionate and competent care. As investigations continue, it is crucial that the voices of these women are heard and that meaningful changes are implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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