Finding into death of Baby H

0y · Female·Unascertained

Baby H was born at home on 21 September 2022 following an unassisted birth (freebirth) without medical oversight. The mother had received no antenatal care despite being unaware of the actual gestational age. The baby showed no signs of life at birth with a white-blue complexion. Autopsy revealed macrosomia, meconium aspiration, intradural haemorrhage, and placental changes consistent with maternal diabetes and post-term pregnancy (>42 weeks). The cause of death remained unascertained. The coroner found that medical oversight during pregnancy and birth would likely have been beneficial and may have increased survival likelihood. Key clinical lessons include the importance of antenatal assessment to identify risk factors like post-term pregnancy and maternal diabetes, and the risks associated with unassisted birth without medical support.