Mum would have terminated pregnancy if she had know child was disabled
Amanda McGuinn sues NHS for not revealing birth defects during scans
A MUM is suing the NHS for not revealing her baby would be severely mentally and physically disabled.
Amanda McGuinn had Matilda in 2008 after scans had failed to identify her problems.
She and husband Paul say they would have terminated the pregnancy if they had known.
The tot was born very small and “profoundly microcephalic”.
The condition, seen in Zika victims, stops brain development and causes intellectual disability, poor motor function, poor speech, abnormal facial features, seizures, low life expectancy and dwarfism.
Amanda and Paul, both 38, argue doctors were negligent in failing to spot “abnormalities”.
The building firm owners, of Lee, South East London, are now suing Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust in a “wrongful birth” case at the High Court.
Although Matilda is now a much-loved part of the family, her parents want compensation for the extra cost of Matilda’s round-the-clock care.
If successful the compensation could run into millions.
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Angus McCullough QC, for the couple, said: “With proper antenatal care significant abnormalities apparent during ultrasound scanning would have been acted upon.”
He said if alerted after scans at 30 and 35 weeks the couple would have been referred for counselling and then chosen to abort.
The trust denies the care was faulty, while hospital chiefs say a referral would not have led to an abortion being offered.
The hearing continues.