Canadian couple billed for itemized autopsy costs for their stillborn baby.
In a deeply distressing incident, a Canadian couple found themselves grappling with both the emotional aftermath of losing their stillborn daughter and an unexpected bureaucratic oversight. Nick and Laura Bordignon were devastated when they received an itemized bill addressed to their daughter, Makayla Poppy, who had been stillborn in October of the previous year. The bill detailed laboratory tests conducted during the autopsy, which was performed approximately two weeks after her birth.
The couple was recovering from their profound grief when they received the bill. Nick Bordignon shared that his initial feelings of confusion quickly morphed into anger, describing the experience as “soul-crushing and just wrong.” His wife, Laura, echoed his sentiments, referring to the incident as feeling akin to a “sick joke.” The Bordignons had consented to the autopsy in hopes of providing valuable information for any future pregnancies, with the expectation that their daughter’s remains would be treated with the utmost respect and care.
The autopsy revealed that the fetus had ceased to develop approximately 33 weeks into the pregnancy, a fact that devastated the couple, who had held out hope for a different outcome. Weeks after her delivery, the Bordignons were startled to learn that Makayla’s body had been stored in a British Columbia morgue for more than a month. The couple received the invoice, which has since raised questions regarding the handling of stillbirth cases by health authorities in the province.
In response to the incident, British Columbia’s Patient Care Quality Review Board is currently reviewing the series of events that led to the billing of the Bordignons for autopsy services rendered for their stillborn child. Health care experts have highlighted that this case underscores the absence of standardized protocols regarding stillbirths in the region, suggesting that reforms may be necessary to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Canadian health officials have since issued an apology to the Bordignons and have waived the associated costs for the autopsy. This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the emotional burdens that grieving parents must bear, and the need for sensitivity in the medical community when handling such delicate circumstances. The Bordignons’ experience has sparked a broader dialogue about systemic issues within the healthcare system when confronting the loss of a child.
As discussions continue around this topic, it is crucial for health authorities to address these gaps and ensure that grieving families receive compassionate and considerate care. The unfortunate situation faced by the Bordignons may serve as a catalyst for positive changes in the handling of stillbirths in British Columbia and potentially beyond.
