Coroner rules on baby death
Inquest heard father had been told she was ‘perfect’ by midwife
ABABY whose dad was told she was ‘perfect’ had in fact died just moments after being delivered, a coroner ruled today.
Evelyn Davies died at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport November 2018 after her mother Elizabeth Davies went into early labour.
The baby’s father Major Matthew Davies previously told an inquest into her death that he was told by a midwife that his baby had been born and that she and her mother were ‘both fine.’
But shortly afterwards a doctor informed him that his daughter was being resuscitated, and asked for permission to halt resuscitation attempts.
Recording a conclusion that Evelyn died of natural causes, the coroner said that she had lived only momentarily before passing away as a result of a lack of oxygen due to compression on her umbilical chord.
The coroner said that he believed midwife Stephanie Bray had “the best of intentions” when she went to update Major Davies and told him that his daughter - who she said medics were helping to breathe - was “perfect.”
Ms Bray previously told the hearing she remembered saying baby Evelyn was “perfect meaning beautiful.”
“Concerned Major Davies would have been waiting, Midwife Bray went to speak to him, clearly with the best of intentions” area coroner Chris Morris told South Manchester Coroner’s Court in Stockport.
“There is a subtle but important difference in recollection of what was said.
“On the balance of probabilities, I find at the very least midwife Bray told Major Davies that Mrs Davies was fine and that the team were just helping Evelyn to breathe and that she was perfect.”
He later added he made “no criticism of her evidence” saying she had “done her best to assist to the court.”
The hospital trust said they hoped the inquest had helped answer some of the family’s questions about their daughter’s tragic death.
Mrs Davies was 26 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to Stepping Hill on November 10, 2018 after developing stomach pains and passing blood clots.
It was decided in the early hours of the following morning to deliver the baby via a category two emergency cesarean section.
However Evelyn was unresponsive after being delivered and midwife Bray immediately handed her over to the resuscitation team who made attempts to save her, the hearing was told.
It had been unclear if she had been stillborn or had died shortly after being delivered.
“I find it more likely than not that she probably did live, albeit only momentarily in the arms of midwife Bray” Mr Morris said.
“I am entirely satisfied she did not exhibit signs of life having been handed over to the paediatric team.”
He recorded her medical cause of death as hypoxia caused by chord compression during preterm labour.
A spokesman for the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement issued after the hearing: “The loss of Baby Evelyn was a tragedy for her parents, and we hope the inquest has gone some way to answer the questions they may have about her sad death.
“Nothing can make up for the loss of a baby, but we would like to offer our sincere sympathies to Evelyn’s family.”