A SAILOR wants the federal Government to help fund the cost of raising her child after Defence medical staff repeatedly failed to detect her pregnancy.

Emily Hetherington, now 22, says that if they had detected she was pregnant she would not have proceeded with it, according to documents lodged with the Supreme Court of Victoria.

But, she says, she didn't find out until she was already 22 weeks' pregnant.

Ms Hetherington has launched legal action against the Department of Defence, claiming that it was negligent.

Ms Hetherington was already pregnant when she enlisted with the Navy in January 2008.

But, she claims in court documents, a pregnancy test during her medical examination in Hobart was reported negative.

Ms Hetherington says that while at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria she reported during vaccinations in January, March and April that she had not had her period since the previous November or December, but no pregnancy tests were done.

After fainting during training, Ms Hetherington claims she told HMAS Cerberus healthcare centre she had morning nausea, was tired and had gained weight, but no pregnancy test was done.

Ms Hetherington says a serum pregnancy test should have been done when she enlisted.

In June 2008, a test on the blood taken at enlistment found she had been six to seven weeks' pregnant. Her child was born in August, 2008.

Ms Hetherington, now of NSW, says she suffered injury through pregnancy and labour.

She says her career has been adversely affected, she has suffered psychological trauma and her training and earning capacity has been affected.

In court documents it is alleged Defence owed her a duty of care to provide her with medical care of a similar standard to the wider population.

She is seeking a trial by judge. The writ is yet to be served.

Defence said it could not respond to a request for comment until Wednesday.

Originally published as Sailor seeks compo for baby