‘No urgency’ before birth of tragic baby

A MEDICAL council hearing has been told there was ‘no sense of urgency’ surrounding the labour of a woman whose baby died shortly after birth.

Róisín Molloy gave birth to son Mark in the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise on January 24, 2012.

Despite attempts by medics to revive the newborn, he died 22 minutes after birth.

An obstetrics and gynaecology registrar, Dr A, faces allegations at a fitness-to-practise committee of professional misconduct.

The inquiry was yesterday told that the doctor failed to give instruction following an examination of Mrs Molloy.

A midwife who began work at the hospital at 8am on the day told the hearing she spoke briefly to a colleague who had been working the previous night and who appeared anxious about Mrs Molloy.

The midwife, a shift leader at the hospital, went to the labour room where she remained between 8.05am and 8.10am.

She said Dr A examined Mrs Molloy, who at this stage was fully dilated. The midwife said Dr A did not give any instruction as to what steps needed to be taken next. She felt the patient was not progressing and there were no signs of the baby being delivered, so she suggested the consultant be called.

The midwife told the inquiry she felt there was no sense of urgency around getting Mrs Molloy to the labour ward.

A second midwife who began working in the labour room at 8am the same day told the committee she monitored the heartbeat of baby Mark and said Mrs Molloy’s heartbeat was also checked with a probe.

She could not recall if Dr A had reviewed the cardiotocograph notes. Cardiotocograph, or CTG, machines monitor foetal heartbeat. The committee was told that Mrs Molloy was given a drug to induce labour.

The inquiry heard on Monday how the machine used to conduct a scan on Mrs Molloy had picked up her heartbeat instead of the foetal one.

Committee members agreed yesterday that obstetrician and gynaecologist Jim Dornan would be asked to give evidence.

Professor Dornan was retained on behalf of the HSE for the hospital to review baby Mark’s death. This report has been presented to the inquiry.

The hearing continues.