A baby girl is believed to have died from head and spine injuries caused during attempts to deliver her at Queen’s Hospital, a court has heard.
The Romford hospital has apologised to the parents of Ada Rose (formerly Ada Golden), of Cameron Close in Brentwood.
The baby died at Homerton Hospital seven weeks after she was born.
An inquest opening at East London Coroner’s Court on Friday (December 13), heard a pathologist had attributed her death to a series of injuries.
The case is now the subject of three simultaneous investigations: one by the court, a second by an official health watchdog and a third by the trust which runs Queen's.
Senior coroner Graeme Irvine said Ada’s death had initially been referred to the Inner North London Coroner’s Court, as Homerton falls within its jurisdiction.
However, it was passed to him because “the issues relating to Ada’s death occurred within the east London area".
He explained that a natural birth had been attempted by staff at Queen’s Hospital.
But, he said, Ada’s mother had “a very difficult labour” and “multiple instruments” were used to try to deliver her.
Eventually, the natural birth was abandoned and Ada was born on October 13 by an emergency caesarean section.
Once delivered, said Mr Irvine, “Ada was observed immediately to have abnormal neurological signs.”
She also had a slow heartbeat and was transferred to Homerton for intensive air treatment.
Medics suspected Ada had a “severe spinal injury in the top part of the spine” and a brain stem injury.
“The hypothesis that was gained at the time was that these were injuries sustained during delivery,” said Mr Irvine.
Ada died on November 30.
A pathologist has now given her causes of death as a “severe cervical cord injury” (damage to her spine), “occipital diastasis” (a skull injury) and “cerebellar vermis displacement” (brain damage).
These were listed by the pathologist as “acquired perinatal injury” – meaning the injuries were caused before or after birth.
“This is an unnatural death,” said Mr Irvine. “Given those circumstances, I will open an inquest.”
Inquests are held in open court, in the public interest, to investigate what has caused unnatural deaths and whether future similar deaths can be avoided.
“I will need to hear evidence about Ada’s mother’s antenatal care and significant events following Ada’s birth so that I can try to understand how it was that she came about her death,” the coroner said.
He declared Ada’s family “interested persons”, giving them the right to scrutinise evidence before the inquest and question any witnesses called to give evidence.
He asked them to produce a statement containing “any concerns that they have” about her death.
He also declared Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT), which runs Queen’s Hospital, an interested party.
“I’m going to need statements from the midwife with responsibility for Ada’s labour and from the consultant obstetrician who was responsible,” said Mr Irvine, adding that he would also need details of any internal or external investigations into Ada’s death.
BHRUT told this paper that an independent probe had been launched by the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation (MNSI) body.
“We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family of baby Ada and apologise for their experience during her birth," a spokesperson said.
"As well as the MNSI investigation, which is underway, we are carrying out our own review and will share our findings with Ada’s parents.
“We are also fully cooperating with the coroner ahead of an inquest looking into her death.”
Mr Irvine set a final inquest date of June 11.
