A DOCTOR who decapitated a baby during a botched delivery has been cleared to return to work with immediate effect.

Dr Vaishnavy Laxman, 43, can continue to work on maternity wards despite her catastrophic error, which came at the end of a gruelling 24 hour shift.

5 Dr Vaishnavy Laxman has been told today she can continue working as a doctor Credit: Cavendish Press

Dr Laxman should have given her 30-year old patient - who was delivering a premature infant in a breech position - a C-section but instead attempted to carry out the delivery naturally with devastating results.

However today the tribunal found that the error does not mean she is unfit to practice medicine.

The ruling comes despite the tot's mother angrily confronting the medic during the tribunal, telling her: "I don't forgive you".

But in a judgement released today, tribunal papers said it "did not find that Dr Vaishnavy Laxman's fitness to practise is impaired by reason of misconduct."

5 The tribunal found today that the error does not mean she is unfit to practice medicine. Credit: Cavendish Press

It added: "The tribunal wished to record that nothing in this determination should distract from the fact that on March 16, 2014, Dr Vaishnavy Laxman made a significant error of judgement which had serious consequences and a profound impact upon patient A and for which Dr Vaishnavy Laxman bears a heavy responsibility."

The botched birth had caused the infant’s legs, arms and torso to become detached, leaving the head still in his mother’s womb.

Two other doctors subsequently carried out a C-section on the woman to remove the infant’s head.

It was "re-attached” to his body so his mother could hold him before she said goodbye.

It is believed the child was already dead before he was decapitated during the 15-minute delivery, at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

5 Dr Vaishnavy Laxman, 41, arriving for the tribunal in Manchester Credit: Cavendish Press

5 Dr Laxman can continue to practise medicine, the tribunal has decided Credit: Cavendish Press

Mr Tim Bradbury, chairing the tribunal, said: “Laxman’s conduct set in train a course of events which ultimately resulted in the decapitation of Baby B and to this extent contributed to that decapitation.

“But for Laxman’s error of judgement in this regard, the decapitation would not have occurred.”

He added that Laxman had not "sufficiently addressed in her mind the risk to Baby B by proceeding with a vaginal delivery - namely the risk of head entrapment and the delay this complication would inevitably cause".

The tragedy occurred on March 16 2014 whilst Laxman was working at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with a team of other doctors.

The woman's waters had broken early at 25 weeks and upon examination her unborn baby was found to have a prolapsed cord, was in a breech position whilst the mother's cervix was between 2-4cm dilated.

Laxman had started work at 8.30am the previous day and went home at 6pm for five hours before returning to the hospital at 11pm.

5 Dr Laxman, 43, oversaw the botched delivery on the maternity unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee

She was told about the patient at 2am and was subsequently paged at 8.30am to take a look at her when her condition became more critical.

Later while discussing the method of delivery, Laxman told a colleague: ''We are not doing a c-section - you would never do a c-section of a 25 weeker.''

She then carried out a vaginal examination of the woman and told her ''to push.''

Last month consultant Laxman, who denied misconduct, said the youngster would have died had a C-section been carried out during the procedure on March 16 2014.

She told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester: “I was trying to deliver a live baby, I was trying really hard, possibly too hard.

“I did not intend to harm mum or the baby.

"I am distraught at the outcome and I am very sorry it did not come out the way I meant it.”

Laxman qualified as a doctor in Chennai, India, in 1999.

The mother – known only as Patient A – came to face with Laxman and in a harrowing exchange across the room looked at her and said: “I don’t forgive you – I don’t forgive you” as the doctor stared down at the floor.

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The patient then looked away as Laxman’s QC apologised on her behalf.

The mother added: “I would never use the word stillborn, he was not stillborn he was decapitated.

“I was pregnant, my first pregnancy I wasn’t sure what was going on and I was told it was the safest place possible.

“Nobody explained the plan or risks associated. It was like disorganised chaos and I was scared.'”

The tribunal panel will now decide whether or not Laxman should be served with a formal warning.

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