A NEWBORN baby died of natural causes following a planned home birth in west Cork, an inquest heard yesterday.
Baby Tadgh Cartaya McLoughlin was born at 8.20am on January 3rd, 2009, to 23-year-old Hazel McLoughlin and her boyfriend Raul at their home in Lettercollum, Timoleague, Bandon, Co Cork.
It was the couple’s first child and they had opted for a home birth because Ms McLoughlin felt it would be a more intimate and natural experience and would be a better start for her baby, the inquest was told.
Ms McLoughlin employed the services of west Cork Community Midwife Bridget Sheerin, who specialises in home births. Her pregnancy was regarded as “low risk” due to her age and good health.
Cork City Coroner’s Court heard Ms McLoughlin, who lived 30 miles from the nearest hospital, went into labour on the night of January 2nd last just after 7pm.
Ms Sheerin arrived at the house at 10.20pm and described the overnight labour as normal. Ms McLoughlin was using a birthing pool and taking homeopathic supplements for pain management.
By 7.45 the following morning, Ms Sheerin found Ms McLoughlin to be fully dilated, and by 8.20 Tadhg was born. He gave two cries, opened his eyes and was wrapped in a blanket and placed in his mother’s arms, Ms Sheerin told the inquest.
However, within 60 seconds of the birth, his colour drained and blood-stained mucus began to run from his nose. Nurse Sheerin called on Ms McLoughlin’s parents to contact emergency services.
Two ambulances arrived at 8.40am and Tadhg was taken to Cork University Hospital, while his parents followed in a second ambulance.
Dr Eugene Dempsey, consultant paediatrician at CUH, described Tadhg’s condition as moribund and unresponsive upon arrival at 10.13am. The baby was incubated, but his condition continued to deteriorate and at 11.30am his parents were called to the bedside. The baby died shortly after 2pm.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said death was due to natural causes. The baby had suffered brain damage as a result of a lack of blood to the brain, followed by multi-organ failure.
Dr Bolster said that while it was a complex case, whatever circumstances caused the lack of oxygen to the brain took place before Tadhg was delivered, in her opinion.
Dr Matt Hewitt, consultant obstetrician at CUH, said he believed expectant mothers opting for home births should live within 20 minutes’ drive of a hospital. The distance from the house to the hospital was “unacceptable”, according to Dr Hewitt.