The Chita Central City Court issued a decision that partially acknowledged the claims of a married couple related to a baby born with significant health challenges. The family was awarded eight million rubles in compensation, a ruling reported by chita.ru and reflecting the court’s assessment of harm and responsibility in the medical birth process.
The infant arrived in September 2021 at the Chita city maternity hospital after a lengthy gestation that culminated in a premature birth. The delivery occurred without a cesarean section, contrary to what the family later contended might have reduced risk. During the hours in the womb, the newborn experienced critical distress culminating in hypoxic conditions, and at birth the baby sustained a head injury. The immediate postnatal period required intensive life support, including connection to a respirator and admission to an intensive care setting as doctors monitored and stabilized the infant’s condition.
In the days and weeks that followed, the child remained in a state requiring continuous medical supervision. The condition did not allow for feeding or independent breathing, and the family faced ongoing, round-the-clock inpatient care needs rather than home-based treatment. The medical scenario shifted the child into a trajectory of long-term management, with care plans oriented toward maintaining life and addressing profound daily needs in a hospital or hospital-like setting.
The parents initiated legal action against three medical facilities: the staff at the Chita maternity hospital who were perceived as responsible, along with the Regional Clinical Hospital in Vladivostok where the mother had attended an antenatal clinic, and the Transbaikalia region’s Central Medical Center. The family sought damages amounting to 21 million rubles from the local doctors, reflecting a broader claim that care during pregnancy and delivery contributed to the child’s serious health consequences.
Forensic evaluations concluded that, despite clear indications, continuous cardiotocography monitoring during labor was not performed, and the development of severe fetal hypoxia was not detected in time. The family filed the lawsuit in December 2022. The court ultimately ordered a financial settlement: eight million rubles to the Chita maternity hospital, twenty thousand rubles to the antenatal clinic, and an additional ten thousand rubles to the central medical center, accompanied by other smaller awards in the framework of the case.
In a separate note related to the family’s broader medical concerns, there were discussions about a separate cost incurred in Yekaterinburg for a catheter required by the child’s heart. The claim referenced amounts of about 1.8 million rubles associated with that medical intervention, underscoring the long-term financial impact that accompanies such complex pediatric care and the ongoing obligations families face when navigating the healthcare system for congenital or birth-related conditions.