Ipswich Hospital: 'Our daughter's childbirth death was preventable'

The parents of a woman who died after giving birth say they believe she would still be alive if it were not for errors made by a hospital.

Jessica Mai Walden, 28, from Bramford, Suffolk, died on 9 May 2021 after her second daughter was born at Ipswich Hospital.

A report commissioned by her parents found there were a series of human and system failings that led to her death.

The hospital trust apologised and said lessons had been learned.

Hairdresser Mrs Walden had had placental complications and severe blood loss after childbirth.

Medics attempted to retrieve her placenta before performing an emergency hysterectomy in a bid to save her life but she suffered a cardiac arrest which subsequently led to brain damage.

She leaves a husband and two daughters.

Her parents, Neil and Julie Stout, instructed solicitors Anthony Gold to carry out a review, which said "care fell below the expected standard".

It said Mrs Walden suffered a major postpartum haemorrhage requiring a massive transfusion of blood.

She was transferred to the obstetrics theatre but the blood fridge was not working, causing a delay for blood that was needed, the report said.

This may have altered the outcome for Mrs Walden, it added.

The report also said a telephone in theatre was not working, there were delays in activating the haemorrhage protocol, the wrong size cannula was fitted and there was a "communication error within the team".

It concluded: "Unfortunately, the severity and rapidity of the bleeding was neither recognised nor actioned appropriately.

"There were human errors... where, in my opinion, care fell below the usual and expected standard. These were compounded by systems errors.

"The combination resulted in a situation of severe underperfusion over a relatively short period of time, which led directly to a cardiac arrest. During that arrest, more likely than not, Jessica suffered severe brain damage."

Mr and Mrs Stout, who live in Purdis Farm, near Ipswich, believe their daughter's death could have been prevented.

"It should have been a happy time, and now it's changed our lives for the rest of our lives," said Mrs Stout.

"If the fridge had been working, she would have got the blood she needed, she wouldn't have had the heart attacks, if she hadn't had the heart attacks she wouldn't have had the swelling on the brain.

"So, in our minds, she would have been here, had the fridge been working."

Dr Angela Tillett, deputy chief executive at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "We are all deeply saddened by Jessica's tragic death and offer our sincere condolences to her family once again.

"We carried out a full and detailed review into what happened and have put in place all of the recommendations.

"There is an ongoing legal case and our lawyers are working with Jessica's family lawyers to reach a settlement as soon as possible."