Mother Reports Being Ignored by Medical Staff Before Baby’s Death
The mother of a 34-week-old baby who died in the womb has told an inquest that she felt "ignored" by some medical staff at Craigavon Area Hospital.
Mallaidh Tierney died at the Maternity Unit in October 2021 after her mother, Martina Tierney, was admitted with severe abdominal pain.
An inquest into Mallaidh’s death began on Monday.
Although Tierney’s pregnancy was high-risk and consultant-led, she did not see a consultant after being admitted with severe pain on 8 October.
The inquest heard that between 8 and 10 October, her pain became "progressively worse".
During this period, Baby Mallaidh’s heartbeat was monitored, but Mrs Tierney told the inquest she requested scans, an earlier C-section, and communicated her pain to staff, yet felt these concerns were "ignored, not listened to and not acted upon".
In a previous pregnancy, she had experienced an internal rupture of a C-section scar and believed this was happening again.
She tearfully told the inquest she informed midwives that she thought her scar was opening.
"I physically couldn't get up out of bed and the pain was just through the roof," she said.
On 9 October, Tierney asked a doctor about having a C-section that night but was told it was "preferable to wait until the morning".
Tierney said she felt she was "being a hindrance to them".
Her pain relief was changed that night, and she was told this might make the baby sleepy.
She said she consumed something sugary to stimulate the baby’s movement but "couldn't feel the baby move" and requested a check.
The following morning, the inquest heard, Tierney was informed there was no heartbeat and "our beautiful baby had passed away".
A barrister for the Southern Health Trust questioned Tierney about the origins of her statement’s details.
She said she had made notes "very early on" after Mallaidh died, while "it was fresh", tearfully adding,
"it's one of those things that you'll never forget."
When the barrister suggested that a doctor who attended her made no note of her expressing fear of an internal scar rupturing, she maintained she had raised the concern.
She described the doctor as dismissive when she requested an earlier C-section.
When asked if she had received steroids to aid premature lung development, Tierney confirmed she had received a dose.
A barrister for the trust asked,
"Would you accept there was a delicate balance of decision making?"
She responded,
"No. Given I was a high risk pregnancy, my pain increased, I think it was overlooked."
She said she was not taken seriously.
Tierney told the inquest,
"I have so much guilt and I feel I should have done more and I should have shouted more."
Tierney was questioned about a Serious Adverse Incident (SAI) report conducted by the trust.
Two versions were produced after the family raised "inaccuracies in the initial report".
Tierney said some inaccuracies related to a midwife "being in two places at once" and incorrect pain scores attributed to her, noted as between zero and one.
Regarding meetings with the trust, Tierney said,
"They were so accusatory to myself and my husband."
She added they were made to feel "like we were looking compensation, which couldn't be further from the truth.
"We don't want anyone else to go through this."
Ryan Tierney’s statement was also read. Due to Covid restrictions, he was not present in the hospital.
He said he and his wife were "overcome with grief" and there would "always be an empty seat at our dinner table".
Consultant and Doctor Evidence
A consultant who saw Martina Tierney before her hospital admission also gave evidence.
Dr Gillian McKeown told the inquest she saw Tierney on 6 October when a date for a C-section was set for 12 October.
She said Tierney was emotional and frustrated and had been in "pain for a number of weeks which we couldn't explain".
Asked if there was a risk of uterine rupture pre-labour in this case, Dr McKeown said,
"Any C-section delivery increases the risk."
Dr McKeown did not see Tierney again until informed that baby Mallaidh had died.
Hospital Admission and Pain Management
She was asked if she would have expected to be informed about Tierney's hospital admission, and she said it is not standard practice "unless there's clinical concern".
Asked by a barrister for the family about high-risk maternity cases, Dr McKeown said,
"70% of the women we see are high risk."
The barrister questioned whether this rendered the term "high-risk" meaningless, to which Dr McKeown replied,
"I don't think so."
The barrister for the family referenced an expert report stating a consultant should have been called after Tierney was admitted.
Dr McKeown disagreed, saying,
"I don't agree with that no."
A trust barrister asked what scenario would mandate a consultant being called in.
She referenced gynaecological emergencies such as ectopic pregnancies and was asked,
"But not this scenario?"
She answered,
"No."
The doctor who admitted Tierney to hospital, Dr Rachel Bolaji-Alade, said she found Tierney was in "constant pain" and noted a pain score of eight to nine.
She also noted Tierney had pain during fetal movements which paracetamol did not alleviate.
Dr Bolaji-Alade was asked about later pain scores noted at zero, given her initial pain score of 8-9, and she said,
"It doesn't sit easily."
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