Father returns to work day after stillbirth amid hospital failings

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 12:55 · Archive

An Oxford man whose son was stillborn at 22 weeks after hospital staff missed opportunities to act on his wife's medical history had to return to work the next day.

Daniel and Joy Kabiri of Oxford lost their son Elkan to stillbirth at 22 weeks' gestation in September 2025. They had spent five years trying to conceive and had booked IVF treatment before Mrs Kabiri fell pregnant naturally. The couple say concerns throughout her pregnancy were repeatedly dismissed despite her informing maternity staff multiple times that she had previously undergone a LLETZ procedure, a treatment for removing abnormal cervical cells.

The treatment is known to increase the risk of premature birth in some pregnancies. The hospital Mrs Kabiri was receiving care from admitted there were 'missed opportunities to recognise and act upon her previous treatment history of a LLETZ', which should have placed her on a pre-term labour risk pathway.

Mr Kabiri, a college teacher, had to return to work the day after Elkan's stillbirth as he was not entitled to statutory bereavement leave. From April 2027, UK employees will gain a new statutory right to up to two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave covering pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.

The couple have launched a charity called Elkan's Light to support other families affected by baby loss and to raise awareness of the issues they believe contributed to their son's death.

How it is being reported

• Dad forced back to work day after stillbirth amid hospital failingsA man who lost his son to a stillbirth after the hospital "missed opportunities" says he had to work the next day and never got to "mourn" his baby.Oxford Mail · 9 Oct, 12:30
• Dad forced back to work day after stillbirth amid hospital failingsA man who lost his son to a stillbirth after the hospital "missed opportunities" says he had to work the next day and never got to "mourn" his baby.Oxfordshire Guardian · 9 Oct, 12:30

In this story: Daniel Kabiri · Joy Kabiri · Elkan Kabiri · Oxford · Elkan's Light

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