WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat has apologised to a Perth mum who had to give birth on the side of the Kwinana Freeway.
Ms Hammat said she was “deeply disappointed” Lena was turned away from St John of God Midland Public Hospital shortly before.
The hospital has also apologised for “any distress caused” to Lena and her partner, Abdul, who had feared the worst during the traumatic delivery, in which their newborn Sofia had stopped breathing due to the umbilical cord strangling her neck.
Abdul’s partner was told the maternity ward was “on bypass” about 7.50am on November 13, 2025 — four hours after they arrived at the hospital.
This meant Lena needed to be transferred to another hospital because no beds were available.
The couple claimed the staff refused them an ambulance transfer to another hospital, leaving them with no other option but to drive themselves to Rockingham General Hospital, some 50 minutes away.
The hospital and WA Health Department have not revealed why staff elected the Rockingham facility as the next best option.
St John of God Midland did not dispute the couple’s claim that Lena was not examined before she crawled into the back of the family’s car.
Lena gave birth just 20 minutes into the drive towards Rockingham, in which she recounted the moment she thought her baby had died.
Acting on instinct, the couple managed to untie the umbilical cord but as Lena grasped her fragile baby girl close to her chest in the cramped back seat of a car while peak-hour traffic rushed past, she felt the weight of grief wash over her.
“We actually thought she was dead in my arms,” she said.
When responding to The Sunday Times, WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat said she hoped a review of the incident would prevent it from occurring again.
“I’m deeply disappointed to hear of Lena and Abdul’s experience and apologise for the distress this will have caused,” she said.
“Every Western Australian family deserves to feel safe during the birth of their child.
“I expect incidents of this nature to be treated with the utmost seriousness.
“I’m advised a review into the care provided at St John of God Midland is being finalised, and that those findings will be shared with the family.
“Reviews are critical to understand what occurred and to identify opportunities stop this happening again.”
It is understood Minister Hammat has requested the State Health Operations Centre start managing public demand for maternity services in the next four to six weeks.
It’s understood this was a direct result of Lena’s experience.
Ms Hammat said the expanded scope would provide oversight in a bypass situation.
“This means greater, active oversight of the state’s public maternity system to ensure patients and ambulances are sent to the most appropriate care setting in the event of a maternity service needing to divert patients,” she said.
The State Government claims it is still scheduled to provide its $1.8b upgrade to Perth’s maternity services in 2029.
A new hospital is being built within the Fiona Stanley precinct, in Murdoch, and is aimed at replacing existing services at the aging King Edward Memorial Hospital in Subiaco.
Enhanced maternity and neo-natal services at Osborne Park Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital are also part of the project.
Minister Hammat was asked why staff diverted Lena and her partner to Rockingham Hospital instead of closer facilities, but was unable to provide a response.
The hospital’s completed review into the incident has been submitted to the WA Department of Health for final checks before being released to the couple.
Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam described the situation as a “failure” by the public health system under Premier Roger Cook’s government.
“It’s a horrifying account and it speaks for itself quite clearly — the health system under Roger Cook has clearly failed this young family, the pregnant woman, her partner, at every stage.”
“We have seen the outcome of a hospital system which is under extraordinary pressure. It is hard to believe this appalling account of a woman’s birthing journey has actually happened here in the rich state of Western Australia.
Ms Mettam said the ordeal should send “shockwaves” through the WA Labor Government.
“We are increasingly seeing hospitals go into bypass, but to hear this account, where a a woman going into labor was sent from Midland to Rockingham is simply breathtaking, and it’s hard to believe how in our public health system this directive occurred.
“What this mother has been through is simply inexcusable, and it points to what doctors, nurses and patients have been telling us for some time — this should not be happening in in WA.
St John of God Midland Hospital is operated under a public-private agreement between the State Government and St John of God Healthcare.
