Mother who died ‘was true to faith’

The family of a Jehovah’s Witness who died after refusing a blood transfusion after childbirth told a consultant she had remained true to her faith, an inquest heard.

Emma Gough, of Conroy Drive, Dawley, died from complications and severe blood loss on October 25 just hours after giving birth to twins at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Consultant gynaecologist Mr Olofunso Oyesanya told the inquest he had no doubt the new mother would have survived if she had not refused the blood transfusion she needed because of her religion.

Mr Oyesanya, a locum who was on call and treated 22-year-old Mrs Gough in the hours before her death, had told her family she was in a critical condition, but they still followed her wishes and opposed a transfusion.

Mr Oyesanya, who no longer works at the RSH, told the hearing yesterday: “Mrs Gough and her family had passionate reasons for not accepting a blood transfusion.

“I have no doubt at all if it was possible that she received blood we would not be here today.”

The inquest at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court has heard doctors would have given her a blood transfusion to try to save the critically-ill retail manager’s life.

But she had signed an advance directive saying she did not want a transfusion, a wish which was confirmed by her family when she was unconscious.

Mr Oyesanya said he spoke to Mrs Gough’s family after he was informed of her death and was told at “least she remained faithful to her God”.

Richard Daniel, the Gough family’s solicitor, asked Mr Oyesanya if a blood clotting factor - factor seven - could have been used to save her.

Mr Oyesanya said factor seven was not a “magic wand”, but the magic wand to wave was a “blood transfusion”.

He said “cell salvage”, which involves using the patient’s own blood, was completely inappropriate in this case.

Mr Oyesanya was asked if he had considered using factor seven to help stop Mrs Gough’s bleeding, but he said there was no evidence to show whether it worked on people who were not haemophiliacs.

The inquest has heard Mrs Gough died of profound anaemia with bleeding and complications of twin delivery as contributory factors.

The hearing continues.

By Lisa Rowley