Mother, 32, died in childbirth after doctor's advice against natural birth was ... trends now
A mother died during the birth of her second child after a doctor's advice she should not have a natural birth was 'lost', an inquest heard today.
Environmental engineer Lucy Howell passed away after suffering complications during the birth of her second child Pippa at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in March 2021.
The 32-year-old had previously had a caesarean for the birth of first daughter Rosie which needed surgery to repair, the hearing was told.
Following this she was told by a consultant not to have a natural birth when she next fell pregnant, it was heard.
However, such were the complications of the first C-section, Mrs Howell had wished to avoid another one and the doctor's opinion was 'lost' in the making of birth delivery plans.
Lucy Howell, 32, (pictured) passed away after suffering complications during the birth of her second child, Pippa, at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in March 2021
When she went into labour with new baby Pippa four years later, Mrs Howell suffered a rupture during the delivery and, while her daughter survived being born in her stomach, she passed away.
Hampshire Area Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp today told the hearing that had the consultant's concerns been reiterated and highlighted further down the line, it might have 'paused' proceedings and different opinions might have been 'acknowledged'.
Mrs Howell's inquest follows a pre-inquest review last year which heard she was given 'conflicting' advice about the risk of delivery methods.
Today Winchester Coroner's Court heard Mrs Howell, of Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, went into labour in March 2021 and was admitted to Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester to be induced.
The court heard from pathologists, who said the cause of death was amniotic fluid embolism and uterine rupture - the former of which is a condition that happens to one in 100,000 women, equating to about six or seven a year.
Opening the inquest and addressing Mrs Howell's family, Mrs Rhodes-Kemp said she was 'very, very sorry' for their loss.
'It wasn't a straightforward pregnancy or birth,' she said.
The court heard Mrs Howell had had complications from the first c-section and had undergone surgery to deal with resultant scarring.
'If she could, she wanted to have a natural delivery and as we know, she continued on that basis,' Mrs Rhodes-Kemp added.
The court heard Mrs Howell did not fall into 'spontaneous' labour after her waters broke,
