A tragic incident unfolded as a mother and her baby passed away during a home birth, with paramedics expressing a lack of confidence and feeling unprepared at the scene, according to an inquest report.
Jennifer Cahill, aged 34, lost her life on June 3, 2024, after delivering her baby at their residence in Prestwich. Tragically, baby Agnes also succumbed in the hospital four days later. Both mother and child encountered various complications leading to their hospitalization.
Agnes was born in distress, not breathing, with meconium covering her body and the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Mrs. Cahill experienced postpartum hemorrhage, resulting in a significant blood loss estimated to be around two liters.
The pathologist’s report indicated that Mrs. Cahill’s death was due to multi-organ failure from cardiac arrest resulting from postpartum hemorrhage. Her previous pregnancy complications in 2021 flagged her delivery as high-risk.
Despite losing 800ml of blood and requiring a transfusion in her previous delivery, Mrs. Cahill was referred back to midwifery care following a consultant review in her recent pregnancy. Dr. Caroline Rice, an obstetrics and gynecology consultant, testified that risk factors were addressed during a 20-minute appointment at 14 weeks gestation.
Dr. Rice explained that a hospital delivery was advised, with detailed information provided about the birthing process in a hospital setting. There was no indication from Mrs. Cahill of a preference for a home birth during the consultation.
Following the incident, an internal review within North West Ambulance Service highlighted several learning points, including the need for improved communication and confidence among clinicians attending such scenes. The review prompted the implementation of a new system to enhance response efficiency.
Both consulting midwives and hospital midwifery teams stressed the importance of training to handle similar incidents effectively. A dedicated home birth team has been established in the north-west region to provide specialized care for high-risk deliveries.
The coroner’s inquiry into the tragic event is ongoing under the supervision of Senior Coroner Joanne Kearsley.