Mum criticises hospital's care at baby's inquest

Lottie Kim James-Howard died 10 days after she was born at Leeds General Infirmary

A mother has criticised a hospital's maternity care throughout her pregnancy at the inquest into the death of her 10-day-old baby.

Lottie Kim James-Howard was pronounced dead at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) on 23 December 2023 after her mother Jersey Leigh James awoke at home to find her daughter was not breathing, the hearing in Wakefield heard.

She told the inquest she felt "dismissed and ignored" by maternity staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust throughout her pregnancy and labour.

Witnesses from the trust told the inquest they followed national guidance while caring for Lottie and her mother.

Ms James said she was prescribed antibiotics after testing positive for Group B strep during her pregnancy, but Emily Holt, a midwife at LGI, told her she did not need the medication as her urine test had been negative.

Ms Holt said this advice followed national guidance relating to the common condition.

According to the NHS, Group B strep is harmless for most adults but can be dangerous if transmitted to babies.

Cause of death 'uncertain'

The trust's internal review into the care surrounding Lottie's death said the "misinformation" of conflicting advice from medical professionals "caused mistrust for [Ms James] throughout the pregnancy", and apologised for this.

When Ms James was admitted to labour on 12 December, she said she was told she would receive antibiotics - and "repeatedly" asked for them, the hearing heard.

Dr Lydia Coade said she "couldn't see any reason why" the antibiotics were not given, which would have reduced the risk of transmission to the baby.

"I constantly wonder whether Lottie would still be with us had I received antibiotics," Ms James said in her evidence.

She said a cannula had been placed in her room but was left unattached.

"I miss Lottie so much," she said.

"After her birth I stayed awake all night and the next night just holding her [...] the most beautiful baby I have ever seen."

The hearing was told Lottie was given a full course of antibiotics after a period of observation following her birth and a post-mortem examination found no evidence of infection in the child.

Dr Leah Boullier, a general paediatrician at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said the decision to discharge Lottie from hospital on 18 December was "completely appropriate" based on her condition.

The inquest heard how the cause of the baby's death was "uncertain".

Ms James said it "appears to have many red flags for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)", but this was ruled out by pathologists.

Consultant paediatric histopathologist Prof Marta Cohen pointed to a "triple-risk hypothesis" in trying to explain what might have gone wrong.

The risks included Lottie's age, her potential vulnerability relating to her genes and "other risk factors", such as her sleeping next to her mother the night before she was found unconscious in bed at their home in Gipton.

"Co-sleeping is the biggest risk factor in this case," Prof Cohen told the hearing.

However, Dr Chris Johnson, a forensic pathologist, said it was "not possible to state with any degree of certainty exactly how Lottie died".

Last month Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an independent inquiry into "repeated failures" at Leeds Teaching Hospitals' maternity units.

The inquest is expected to conclude on Friday.

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