A midwife who ignored the pleas of an expectant mum hours before the woman and her first child died has admitted she was too busy to help her.

At an inquest into the death of Sareena Ali, of Gants Hill, who died at Queen’s Hospital, Romford on January 28, midwife Irene Machakata told an inquest she was overworked.

She said: “At that particular time we were over worked and we could not give the best possible care because there were just too many women to look after.”

Walthamstow Coroner’s Court heard today that Mrs Ali, 27, had her first CTG to monitor the baby at around 1.20pm on January 23.

She was due to be electronically monitored again after six to eight hours but it never happened.

Ms Machakata said: “I was too busy to do another CTG scan and at the same time there were not enough monitors.”

Mrs Ali, originally from Afghanistan, arrived at the hospital at around 10am on January 23 to be induced.

Her husband, Usman Javed, 29, from Romford said that at around 4pm she started to feel really bad pains.

It got worse at around 7pm and Mr Javed said his wife started to behave very odd saying she was hot and her skin felt very clammy.

Mr Javed and his brother in law went to the nurses’ station for help between three and four times each but they were ignored, the court heard.

He said: “The midwife just laughed and said that once she is in labour the pains are just going to get worse.

“One of them told me, have you not been reading books, what have you been doing for the last nine months, but I told them I am not a doctor, I don’t know what to expect.”

When the midwives eventually came to check on Mrs Ali, she was unconscious.

An oxygen mask was put on her and Mr Javed said that at first he thought it was wireless but then realised it was not connected.

Mrs Ali had to have an emergency caesarean section, but by that time the baby had died.

She died five days later after being kept on a life support machine.

Mrs Ali died of a ruptured womb, which caused major organ failure.

After the first day of evidence, Mrs Ali’s sister in law Tebussum Rashid said: “I am horrified at the catalogue of offences which are worse than I thought they were.

“I wish that we could bring her back, but we just want to make sure this doesn’t happen to another family and they take responsibility.”

The inquest is due to conclude tomorrow.

The Recorder will bring you the latest from the inquest as it unfolds.