Pregnant mother who didn't have any scans is shocked to give birth to twins - as her midwife is suspended while an investigation is carried out

  • Midwife is under investigation after a mother unexpectedly had twins
  • Brooke gave birth to identical twins but didn't have any ultrasound scans before
  • Homebirth midwife Martina Gorner delivered babies but has been suspended

By BEN HILL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: | Updated:

A surprised mother didn't know she was having twins until she gave birth - leading to her midwife being suspended while an investigation is carried out.

Brooke, surname withheld, gave birth to identical twins in Melbourne on October 19. She chose not have any ultrasounds during her pregnancy.

Midwife Martina Gorner from Ten Moons Homebirth Services delivered the babies. She has since been suspended while an investigation is carried out.

The twins were born premature at 35 weeks and had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance after one of them had breathing difficulties. 

The incident has sparked a furious online debate between mothers, as some are accusing the birthing service of negligence for not detecting the multiple pregnancy, while others are defending the midwife and mum for choosing a natural birth with limited medical assistance. 

Brooke (pictured), surname withheld, gave birth to twins on October 19 in Melbourne, and didn't realise she was pregnant with identical siblings as she did not have any ultrasound scans

Brooke (pictured), surname withheld, gave birth to twins on October 19 in Melbourne, and didn't realise she was pregnant with identical siblings as she did not have any ultrasound scans

Midwife Martina Gorner (pictured) from Ten Moons Homebirth Services delivered the babies, and she has since been suspended while an investigation is carried out

Midwife Martina Gorner (pictured) from Ten Moons Homebirth Services delivered the babies, and she has since been suspended while an investigation is carried out

A post announcing the birth on the Ten Moons Facebook page said it was 'full of unexpected surprises'

A post announcing the birth on the Ten Moons Facebook page said it was 'full of unexpected surprises'

A post announcing the birth on the Ten Moons Facebook page said it was 'full of unexpected surprises'.

'Mum gave birth to her sweet little baby boy in water and then we thought the placentra was about to come... but as it turned out there was another baby boy about to make his entrance into the world,' the post read.

'What a super hero mum Brooke is. What an amazing birth!'

The post stirred up some strong debate among commenters.  

'This is like advertising your own incompetence. Any decent provider would have noticed it was a multiple pregnancy and treated it like the high risk pregnancy it was. Mum and babies are very lucky,' one person said.

Another asked how the mother did not know she was pregnant with twins to which Ten Moons said: 'Mum decided not to have any scans during this pregnancy'.

Other people said having unexpected twins was not an emergency.

'Emergencies can happen with just one baby too, twins are not an automatic high risk factor,' another person said.

'Good for this mum and her babies.'

The twins were born premature at 35 weeks and had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance after one of them had breathing difficulties

The twins were born premature at 35 weeks and had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance after one of them had breathing difficulties

A petition titled 'Mothers have the right to a safe natural birth of their choice' defending Ms Gorner has attracted more than 36,000 signatures, calling her suspension an 'outrageous tragedy'.

'This birth unfortunately had terrible implications for Martina, one of the attending midwives, because when mum brought her happy and healthy babies in for a check-up, a hospital staff member made a complaint and Martina was suspended,' the petition said.

'This, many of us feel, is an outrageous tragedy.'

A Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia spokeswoman told Nine News the organisation could not comment on Ms Gorner's case but that suspensions are 'only taken in the most serious cases when the NBMA believes it is necessary to take action to protect the public'.

'Before a decision to take immediate action is made, a practitioner is given notice and an opportunity to show cause as to why the action is not necessary,' she said. 

Other people said having unexpected twins was not an emergency

Some said having unexpected twins was not an emergency, while another said the birth was an 'amazing and beautiful story'

Another person said the birth was an 'amazing and beautiful story'

Melbourne

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