Pregnant mum did not feel safe, Covid Inquiry told

Catherine Todd described the Ulster Hospital's treatment of her as appalling

A woman who lost her baby after contracting Covid-19 during pregnancy has told the Covid Inquiry she did not feel safe as a pregnant woman during the pandemic.

Catherine Todd's baby, Ziggy, was born about 12 weeks prematurely in July 2021 via an emergency Caesarean section at the Ulster Hospital in Belfast.

Ms Todd described meeting her son for the first time wearing PPE and said he died the following morning in her arms.

Ms Todd described the treatment she received as "absolutely appalling".

Warning: This story contains details about baby death that some readers may find distressing.

Giving evidence from Belfast, Ms Todd said that for 48 hours no one seemed to know where Ziggy's body was as he had to be sent for a post mortem examination to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Ms Todd contracted Covid-19 when she was 28 weeks pregnant and was told to isolate at home after a scan was cancelled.

She told the inquiry that she phoned the advice line multiple times and was told to take paracetamol, a fizzy drink and to lie on her side.

The unit said they could not carry out the scan as they wanted to reduce the number of people in the hospital.

However, after developing breathing problems and heart palpitations her partner TJ called an ambulance.

The ambulance took five hours to arrive and when it did the paramedics checked her oxygen levels and blood pressure but did not check the baby.

According to Ms Todd the paramedics advised taking paracetamol and to "lie down".

However, when things did not improve she phoned her GP who advised she should go straight to the emergency department.

Ms Todd waited 10 hours before she was moved to maternity. During that time, she said she was scanned and saw the baby move.

The inquiry heard that despite being prepped for an emergency section it was delayed for several hours as another baby had an 80% chance of survival whereas Ziggy had just a 10% chance.

"So they chose to go with the other baby," she said.

Ms Todd was on her own during this time.

Ms Todd has since had a daughter and is expecting another child with her partner

Ms Todd, who has since had a daughter and is currently pregnant, said Ziggy's birth and the lack of communication will stay with her and her partner forever.

"My partner, mum and sister were all told to stop ringing the hospital and I was left without my mobile phone so no one knew what was happening to me," she added.

The inquiry heard that due to “maternal Covid” being written on Ziggy’s death certificate at first Ziggy was to have a closed coffin.

However, on advice from the specialist child bereavement care team at Alder Hey a PCR test was carried out on Ziggy’s body which tested negative - this meant his coffin was open.

Alder Hey, and not the Ulster Hospital, according to Catherine, advised they could get a cuddle cot which meant they could hold Ziggy for a final time.

Speaking directly to Catherine Todd, the chair of the inquiry, Baroness Heather Hallett said that “no-one can replace Ziggy and that she and his father will never forget him”.

Baroness Hallett said she hoped that their baby daughter, and the new baby the couple are expecting, would help them to come to terms with their grief that will be with them forever.

Ms Todd said that the whole experience will impact her and her partner for the rest of their lives.

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, you can find help and support at the organisations listed in the BBC Action Line.