Inquest into death of baby as a result of care failings in Portlaoise hospital

The inquest into the death of baby Mary-Kate Delahunt opens in Limerick on Tuesday.

In March last year Amy Delahunt and Oliver Kelly spoke about discovering their daughter was the fifth baby to die as a result of care failings at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

Ms Delahunt was discharged from Portlaoise hospital despite presenting with reduced foetal movements and having recorded an abnormal cardiotacography (CTG).

She had attended the maternity unit in Portlaoise in May 2013 when 34 weeks pregnant, after noticing her baby was not as active as normal. The baby was monitored on a CTG machine for an hour and 20 minutes. She was then discharged.

The following morning, at a routine scan at St Munchin’s hospital in Limerick, it was established that the baby had died. Mary-Kate was delivered one week later.

In a follow up meeting with hospital staff, the couple were told the likes of this had never happened at the hospital before. However, they were not told about previous reports into baby deaths, all of which also recorded CTG care failings.

It’s understood they and their legal team are willing to strongly criticise the manner in which the HSE/hospital attitude has changed and hardened towards them.