Mom, 34, and baby die in home birth tragedy with 'most intense birth plan' midwife had ever seen
A mom and her newborn baby have tragically died after following an 'intense birth plan' from home, an inquest has heard.
Jennifer Cahill from Greater Manchester, UK, died just four days after bringing her daughter Agnes into the world, who also tragically passed away just hours after her mom.
An inquest into the circumstances of the 34-year-old's death is currently underway, with a community midwife stating the mom was 'very keen' for a home birth but that the plan was 'the most intense' files she'd 'ever read,' the Manchester Evening News reports.
The midwife, Andrea Walmsley, recalled to the court on October 14 the moment she and her colleague Julie Tuner were called to Jennifer's home on June 2 last year and met the expectant mom in a 'very dim' room.
Advert
Concerns only escalated as Walmsley said she noticed Jennifer had refused certain medications and observations, including a syntometrine injection, which would have helped prevent excessive bleeding.
She added to Coroner Joanne Kearsley: "When I asked for a urine sample, it was almost like she didn't like what I was saying."
The mom-to-be also reportedly refused drugs to assist through the labour, opting for a completely natural birth, the midwife claimed, adding: "She did not want any observations, she did not want any drugs and she did not want any examinations."
The midwife added that Jennifer was 'very quiet' and primarily spoke to her husband, Rob Cahill, throughout the birth.
The inquest also heard how Rob had called emergency services around 6.45am on June 3 since baby Agnes was unresponsive and was unable to be resuscitated.
While he rushed to North Manchester General Hospital with the newborn, he was informed later that his wife was also being raced to the hospital after suffering apparent complications after the birth.
Since their deaths, home births are now being considered 'out of guidance' and 'against advice' by hospital staff.
Her husband claims that had the couple been informed before the birth, they may have decided against the home birth of their second child.
The inquest also heard how Walmsley had not been made aware that Jennifer had suffered an 'extremely stressful' birth with her first child, Rudy, from the hospital where she lost more than 800ml of blood in a postpartum haemorrhage from an episiotomy and tear, which was due to Rudy's size.
She also developed Streptococcus B while the infant contracted sepsis.
Rob said that the 'traumatic' delivery of their son three years prior prompted Jennifer to decide against delivering a baby in a hospital again. He also said she felt she did not have enough support from midwives during the birth.
When asked why she wasn't firm when dealing with Jennifer during the birth, Walmsley said: "We're well aware of the complaints that have been going around about us, and I think that's why it is the way it is."
Dr Azal El-Adwan, a trainee obstetrician who Jennifer had been referred to due to her high-risk status, met with her in March, where she reportedly advised her against a home birth (via Metro).
She told the court that she 'was keen to have a home birth' and that she spoke about the medication and plans available to her if she needed to be taken to hospital. As for why Dr El-Adwan didn't talk to Jennifer about the death risk, she said it wasn't 'standard practice' to speak with mothers about it because of the low risk, adding that she believes the mom understood the risks involved.
Their meeting ended with Jennifer still preferring a home birth, but she said she'd decide once she'd taken a test for Group B Streptococcus, with the doctor advising her to take medication to prevent it anyway.
When asked if she'd have referred Jennifer to another consultant, Dr El-Adwan said: "I didn’t feel that it was necessary at the time, but now I think it would have been better to include somebody else."
The coroner is now questioning why staff were hesitant to use the word 'death' or apparently issue adequate warnings when high-risk pregnant women opt for a home birth.
Jennifer's cause of death has not been confirmed as the inquest continues.
Liv Bridge