HOSPITAL TRAGEDY INQUEST ‘Never did I expect these would be the last moments with my wife’
HUSBAND’S GRIEF OVER SPOUSE’S DEATH FOUR HOURS AFTER BIRTH
A 28-YEAR- OLD woman died in a hospital four hours after giving birth to a baby girl while undergoing surgery to remove the placenta, an inquest was told yesterday.
Ayaz Ul Hassan, of The Maples, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, gave evidence to the Coroner for Mayo, Pat O’Connor that he had been concerned about a “sudden gush” of blood onto the bed linen after his wife, Nayyab, gave birth at Mayo University Hospital to their first child.
Mr. Hassan said that the amount of blood seemed substantial to him but the attending medics did not seem to be overly concerned by it.
Mr. Ul Hassan outlined that after Nayyab went into labour on the morning of September 22, 2020 they attended Mayo University Hospital where his wife was admitted to the labour ward.
“We were both nervous and excited. From our understanding the labour was progressing as expected, contractions were increasing over time,” he wrote in a deposition.
After the baby was delivered Mr. Ul Hassan was invited to cut the umbilical cord and did so.
Glow
In his deposition to the hearing, he added that he will never forget the “shimmering glow and twinkle in my wife’s eyes” when he told her: “Baby’s nose is exactly like yours”.
Mr. Ul Hussan said that when the baby was moved to the incubator he saw blood down the right hand side of the bed which had begun to pool on the floor.
The couple were told that the placenta was not yet delivered.
Thirty minutes after delivery of the baby, despite massage of the mother’s bladder, there was still no sign of placental delivery.
Mr. Ul Hassan said he was told by a midwife or nurse not to worry that it was a normal procedure if the placenta was not delivered.
He added that he was informed his wife would be brought to the operating theatre and it would only take 30- 40 minutes to remove the placenta and they should be back shortly after.
Mr. Ul Hassan said two porters arrived in the delivery room while he was holding his baby and he noted the look of surprise on their faces and the way they exchanged glances as if to say “look at the amount of blood”.
Mr. Ul Hassan said the amount of communication he received while Nayyab was in theatre was limited.
On the first occasion he was told not to worry that everything was going to plan, that the placenta has been removed.
Team
The next time he was spoken to he was told again that everything was fine.
In a deposition which was read to the inquest, Mr. Ul Hassan explained: “The next communication I received was five minutes later when I was told that she had deteriorated and that the team was attempting to resuscitate her.
“They continued to attempt resuscitation but it proved impossible to bring her back.
“Never for a moment did I expect that we would go into hospital to have a baby and that those would be the last moments with my wife.
“We wi l l never be able to hear her.”