Doctors plead for pregnant refugee at Nauru camp to be moved to Australian hospital

Doctors have pleaded for a heavily pregnant refugee on Nauru facing a complex and possibly life-threatening birth to be moved to an Australian hospital.

The 37-year-old Kuwaiti is more than 35 weeks’ pregnant, her baby is in breech and she has a large fibroid or benign tumour on the wall of her uterus. She has previously had a miscarriage on Nauru.

But the Australian government has said that she must deliver her baby on Nauru, saying there are “comprehensive” medical services on the island.

The woman, whom the Guardian has chosen not to name, has been prescribed the antidepressant drug citalopram, a pregnancy class C medication that, Australian guidelines state, has “caused or may be suspected of causing, harmful effects on the human foetus ”.

According to the drug’s manufacturer, possible effects on the newborn include persistent pulmonary hypertension, respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnoea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting and hypoglycemia among others. The Guardian has confirmed the woman remains on Nauru, despite medical transfer flights leaving the island this week.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection declined to comment on the refugee’s specific circumstance but told The Guardian: “Australia provides comprehensive medical support services to the regional processing centre in Nauru and to the Nauruan government health facilities.

“The department does not comment on individuals’ medical situations.”