Ludlow Hospital midwife cries as she recalls baby tragedy
A midwife told an inquest of the moment she heard a baby she helped deliver at Ludlow Community Hospital had died just six hours later.
Delysia Wall sobbed as she told yesterday's hearing: "I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the subsequent events."
The inquest in Bridgnorth has heard that Kate Seren Stanton-Davies was born in the midwife-led maternity unit at Ludlow hospital shortly after 10am on March 1, 2009.
She was later transferred by air ambulance to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital but died there at 4.05pm the same day.
Kate's mother, Rhiannon Davies, and father, Richard Stanton, of Dahn Drive, Ludlow, claim a catalogue of medical and ambulance transport errors lie behind the tragedy.
Mrs Wall, who retired last October, told the inquest she had delivered more than 500 babies during her 37 years as a midwife.
She told the hearing she was on duty when 38-year-old Miss Davies went into labour and was admitted shortly after midnight on March 1, 2009.
Mrs Wall said Miss Davies's records were at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, where she had been admitted for tests the previous Wednesday, and so she telephoned to ask if she was still suitable to give birth at Ludlow, which catered for 'low risk' pregnancies. She was told Miss Davies was still a low risk case.
Miss Elizabeth Wale, representing Kate's parents, had argued earlier in the day that Miss Davies should have been classed as 'high risk' because she had repeatedly reported incidents of reduced foetal movement during the last two and a half weeks of pregnancy.
The court heard Mrs Wall made regular checks on Miss Davies and the baby until she handed over to midwife Heather Lort at 8.45am.
The court was told Mrs Wall returned at about 9.50am to find Miss Davies was 'making good progress'.
Miss Davies gave birth at 10.03am. The jury heard Kate was pale and floppy and given a birth score of eight out of 10, which Mrs Wall said was common.
Mrs Wall said: "There was nothing at that stage which caused me concern." She left for home at 10.20am 'happy with the outcome'.
The inquest continues.
