Daniel E. Holloway
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Emory Decatur Hospital complaint alleges labor-induction Pitocin mismanagement before a newborn’s death

The complaint alleges that during a labor induction at Emory Decatur Hospital, a physician continued Cervidil after a nurse documented a “wandering fetal baseline.” Staff then gave misoprostol and later Pitocin, increasing it overnight to 12 mu/min as late decelerations appeared. It stayed at 12 mu/min for over two hours despite repeated late decelerations and uterine tachysystole. No one documented notice to a physician for hours before Dr. Dabney called for an emergency cesarean section. The newborn was delivered and transferred to Grady Hospital for cooling, and was not expected to survive the evening. She was pronounced dead about seventeen and a half hours after birth. The complaint alleges that the treating physician and nurses did not timely recognize fetal intolerance and administered Pitocin improperly.

System
Emory Healthcare
Facility
Emory Decatur Hospital
Providers involved
Andrea M. Dabney, M.D. / Shanee L. Moore, RN / Cerita R. Houston, RN / Emory Physicians Group, LLC / Emory Healthcare, Inc. d/b/a Emory Decatur Hospital / Emory Healthcare Services Management, LLC / The Emory Clinic, Inc.
Pattern
Alleged Pitocin escalation without notice to a physician despite abnormal fetal heart tracings
Harm
Alleged fetal intolerance to Pitocin, transfer for cooling therapy, and a newborn’s death

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that hospital staff kept escalating labor-induction medication despite abnormal fetal heart tracings before a newborn’s death.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The mother arrived at Emory Decatur Hospital in March 2024 for a labor induction that began with Cervidil.
  2. A nurse documented a “wandering fetal baseline” early that morning, and a physician reviewed the tracing and continued Cervidil. Three rounds of misoprostol followed that day, and two more the next morning.
  3. Dr. Dabney resumed the mother’s care that evening, and Pitocin was started at 2 mu/min and gradually increased.
  4. Pitocin reached 12 mu/min overnight and stayed there for over two hours despite repeated late decelerations and uterine tachysystole. No notice to a physician was documented during that time.
  5. Nurse Houston discontinued Pitocin at 5:19 a.m. and notified Dr. Dabney at 5:30 a.m. the next morning after further decelerations and tachysystole.
  6. Dr. Dabney called for an emergency cesarean section at 5:50 a.m.
  7. The newborn was delivered at 6:05 a.m. and transferred to the NICU.
  8. The newborn was transferred to Grady Hospital for cooling therapy and was pronounced dead there at 11:30 p.m. that night.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • Dr. Dabney, Nurse Houston, and Nurse Moore did not timely recognize signs of fetal intolerance and administered Pitocin improperly.
  • No physician notification was documented for more than two hours during Nurse Moore’s and Nurse Houston’s care, despite repeated late decelerations and uterine tachysystole.
  • The complaint alleges that the four corporate defendants are vicariously liable for the alleged negligence of Dr. Dabney, Nurse Moore, and Nurse Houston.
  • The complaint pleads medical malpractice and wrongful death, with expert affidavits under O.C.G.A. §§ 9-11-9.1 and 24-7-702.

Entities and tags

Emory Decatur HospitalEmory Healthcare, Inc.The Emory Clinic, Inc.Emory Physicians Group, LLCAndrea M. Dabney, M.D.PitocinFetal heart tracingGrady HospitalDeKalb County, GeorgiaFailure to monitorMedication errorCommunication or follow-up failureBirth injuryWrongful deathObstetricsLabor and delivery nursingNeonatology