The midwifery industry has hit back at comments about the state of the sector after what they say are unprecedented attacks over the last few days.
The New Zealand College of Midwives chief executive Karen Guilliland said recent claims by Wellington doctor Ate Moala that a Porirua woman who lost her baby after her midwife failed to diagnose the breech birth were incorrect and defamatory.
Dr Moala had told media that although the woman had a midwife supervisor during the birth, no doctors were called until the baby was delivered and not breathing.
The doctor said the family wanted her to bring the case to light "for the sake of other families and for other babies".
Ms Guilliland said the unsubstantiated speculation and hearsay by a public health doctor against another profession was entirely unnecessary.
She said the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act provided a statutory process for doctors, midwives and other health professionals to notify the appropriate regulatory body if concerned about another health practitioner's competence.
Ms Guilliland said Dr Moala was not at the birth and had based her comments on incorrect facts.
The midwives involved were understood to have consulted lawyers in regards to the comments made by the doctor, which they believed to be defamatory, she said.
"The college believes many of the statements made by Ate Moala are not only incorrect but misleading and a misrepresentation of the clinical situation.
"The New Zealand College of Midwives will be lodging a complaint to the Medical Council about Dr Ata Moala's actions in this case."
Midwifery Council of New Zealand chair Sally Pairman said the council extended its sincere condolences to the family who recently lost their newborn baby boy.
"But allegations of widespread midwifery incompetence are both untrue and misleading."
She said the use of anecdote and generalisation was inappropriate and served only to undermine midwives and public confidence in midwifery and maternity services.
Meanwhile, in another case reported today, a woman has complained to the Health and Disability Commissioner after losing her identical twins while under the care of Capital and Coast District Health Board late last year.
Jane Horvath said it appeared she got "lost in the system" at Wellington Hospital, and didn't get referred to the high risk team there until she was 16 weeks pregnant.
Health Minister David Cunliffe has announced a review of maternity services in the Wellington region.
