Parents fail to stop blood transfusion

THE parents of a seriously ill baby who may need a blood transfusion to survive yesterday failed in their bid to prevent the transfusion from going ahead if required.

The High Court granted the continuation of an order given to the National Maternity Hospital on Christmas Eve to provide a blood transfusion, despite the boy’s parents’ objections on religious grounds.

The parents, who are from eastern Europe, are both described as devout Jehovah’s Witnesses. They were happy for certain blood products to be used in the treatment of their son, but not for a transfusion.