Maxine Harrison
A heavily pregnant woman who was turned away from a hospital whilst in labour has shared a heartbreaking update to the situation.
Mercedes Wells’ story has recently gone viral from having to give birth to her her daughter, Alena Ariel, on the side of the road after being turned away from attended the Franciscan Health Crown Point hospital in Indiana, just minutes before she gave birth on November 16. Her husband, Leon, had to help her deliver the baby.
After a long a painful wait in the hospital, with her contractions just 15 minutes apart, a nurse said that Mercedes was only 3cm dilated, sending her home on 'doctors orders' without having seen a doctor.
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The nurse and doctor who turned Mercedes away just eight minutes before she gave birth have now reportedly been fired.
This story is further evidence to support the disproportionate health treatment of Black women compared to their white counterparts.
Studies have found that Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women, highlighting the racial disparities.
Now, in an even more heartbreaking update to this story, it’s been revealed that Mercedes is now experiencing post-natal health problems since her delivery.
The now mother-of-four is back in hospital with what her brother-in-law, Lance Thompson Jr. describes as post-birth health.
Lance has said Wells is being treated at Community Hospital in Munster, Ind., because of the trauma she had when giving birth to Alena.
Leon explained that his wife experienced excruciating pain and hemorrhaging on Sunday, November 23 which led her to being hospitalized to University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill.
She was then later transitioned to Community Hospital due to staff at the first hospital recognizing Mercedes, added Lance. The expectation is that the mother-of-four should be in hospital for a few days, at least.
Leon said: “They said she’s going through trauma from the difficult delivery, and they gave her medicine.”
He added: “But she’s breastfeeding and has to take smaller doses, so she can still breastfeed.”
On Tuesday, November 25, Robin Kelly an llinois representative shared plans to introduce new legislation with Mercedes known as The Women Expansion for Learning and Labor Safety Act (WELLS) . The aim is to 'urge hospitals and birthing centers to develop and implement a safe discharge plan' for pregnant mothers.
Explaining further, Kelly said it is 'to ensure no other mother goes through the same pain' that Mercedes did when giving birth to her baby girl.
In a statement obtained by People, Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady said: "The recent video shared on social media does not reflect the values of Franciscan Health Crown Point, which include respect for life and compassionate concern. "Respect for life can be compromised when a mother and baby are prematurely discharged.
"Compassionate concern is absent when a caregiver fails to listen to a patient who is clearly in pain and vulnerable. The video was difficult to watch."