Patty White

Patricia White, of Tonawanda, New York, was just four days past her due date when she checked into Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo on December 28, 2007. Although the 38-year-old had enjoyed good health throughout her pregnancy, she was allocated to the high-risk program because her doctor feared that going past her due date spelled high risk to her baby.

Once in the hospital, Patty’s doctor’s attempt to induce her labor with a hormone called Cervidil, with no success. The following day, according to reporter Joyce Miles from The Tonawanda News, a “stronger hormone” started labor almost instantly. About two hours later, Patty was in trouble. Her water broke, and she began to complain of sudden, unbearable pain. Because her baby’s heart rate suddenly dropped as well, her doctor ordered an emergency cesarean.

After baby Rebecca was born at 2:09 p.m., a nurse reported that everyone was doing well. However, half an hour later, a code blue alert went out. All efforts to resuscitate Patty proved unsuccessful. Her death certificate stated that she died from an amniotic fluid embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC).