Woman died during surgery to remove placenta after birth of first child, inquest hears

A woman died at Mayo University Hospital while undergoing surgery to remove a placenta in the hours after she gave birth, an inquest has heard.

Ayaz Ul Hassan, of The Maples, Ballyhaunis, told Mayo coroner Pat O’Connor that he was concerned about a “sudden gush” of blood onto the bed after his wife Nayyab Tariq (28) delivered their daughter on September 22nd, 2020.

Mr Ul Hassan said the amount of blood seemed substantial to him but attending medics did not seem overly concerned.

In his deposition, which was read to the court, he recalled his wife going into labour that morning, being admitted into hospital and them both being “nervous and excited” about the arrival of their first child. He said he was invited to cut the umbilical cord after the delivery and would never forget the the “twinkle” Ms Tariq’s eyes when he told her the baby had her nose.

Mr Ul Hassan said they were told by a midwife or nurse that the placenta had not yet delivered and that Ms Tariq would be brought to the operating theatre to have it removed but would be back soon after.

Limited communication

He said there was limited communication while she was in theatre but that he was told everything was fine.

“The next communication I received was five minutes later when I was told that she had deteriorated and that the team was attempting to resuscitate her,” he said.“Never for a moment did I expect that we would go into hospital to have a baby and that those would be the last moments with my wife.

“My daughter never got a chance to meet her mother, she will never be able to feel her mother, she’ll never know the love of her mother.”

Earlier, the court heard the couple were originally from Lahore in Pakistan, met in 2014 through their parents and “immediately knew it was going to be a lifelong relationship”. They married in 2017 and Ms Tariq later arrived in Ireland to join Mr Ul Hassan.

Did not recall

Conor Halpin SC, for the HSE and the hospital, told Mr Ul Hassan that doctors and nurses would tell the inquest they did not recall pooling of blood at any time in his wife’s treatment.

However, Johan Verbruggen, of Callan Tansey Solicitors, for Mr Ul Hassan, said his client saw blood trickling down the right hand side of the bed and pooling on the ground.

Mary O’Connor, a midwife at the hospital who has since retired, told the court there was no blood on the floor.

Dr Méabh Ní Bhuinneáin, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, told the hearing that Ms Tariq died after a cardiac arrhythmia arrest which had been preceded by post partum haemorrhage.

The hearing continues.