Induced Labor Class Action Alleges Nurse Improperly Administered Oxytocin

A group of New Brunswick women say that they were improperly administered labor inducing drugs, leading to unnecessary C-sections and premature births, according to a proposed class action lawsuit.  

According to the induced labor class action lawsuit, a nurse administered oxytocin at the Moncton Hospital, run by New Brunswick’s largest health authority, Horizon Health Network. Global News reports that the drug was improperly added to the IV saline drip during the laboring process. The result was an unusually higher than normal emergency C-section and assisted labor rate, allege the plaintiffs.  

Inducing labor is a medical procedure that can be appropriate for some women or their babies who may be facing higher than normal risks if the birth were to be allowed to proceed without intervention. According to the Mayo Clinic, Your health care provider might recommend inducing labor for various reasons. Common reasons include the failure of labor to start more than two weeks past the due date, premature rupture of membranes, diabetes, high blood pressure, infection, and a number of others.  

The Mayo Clinic notes that inducing labor carries risks, including failure, requiring an emergency C-section, low heart rate, infection, bleeding, and uterine rupture.  

One of the lead plaintiffs in the induced labor class action lawsuit, told Global News that she was at Moncton Hospital to give birth to twin daughters. She says that she began to feel sharp pains as soon as her saline drip started. She claims that the drip contained improperly administered labor inducing drugs and, as a result, she and her children faced the risk of low fetal heart rate during delivery.  

Other plaintiffs say that they had to undergo emergency C-sections and terrifying complications after the obstetrics nurse allegedly improperly administered labor inducing drugs. A lawyer for the plaintiffs told Global News that hundreds of concerned women have contacted him over the allegations.  

The proposed induced labor class action lawsuit has been lodged against the nurse who allegedly administered the drugs, as well as Horizon Health Network over claims that the hospital negligently allowed the practice to continue.  

For its part, Horizon Health and the Moncton Hospital have reportedly not admitted liability, though they noted that doctors reported concerns over the high emergency C-section rate at the hospital. According to Global News, in April the hospital also admitted that two women had been improperly administered the drug. The nurse allegedly involved was terminated.  

The nurse has denied any wrongdoing. Her lawyer issued a statement asserting that she met the standard of care. However, an arrest was reportedly made in connection with the allegations, though law enforcement has not released the name of the person arrested.  According to CBC Lawyers involved in class action lawsuit confirm nurse Nicole Ruest was fired last March after women at the Moncton Hospital were allegedly administered labour-inducing Oxytocin without their consent. Ruest is scheduled to appear in court on criminal charges in May.

The proposed induced labor class action lawsuit is seeking a full apology from the hospital as well as compensation for damages suffered by the Class. A hearing to determine whether the class action lawsuit goes ahead will likely be held in December or early in 2021.

Did you suffer birth complications at Moncton Hospital? Tell us your story in the comments below! 

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