Ifeoma Onwuka: 'Lack of leadership' as mum died days after birth

Ifeoma Onwuka with her husband Ifeayni on their wedding day

There was a "lack of leadership" in the care of a woman who died following a delay to control bleeding after birth, a coroner has said.

Mother-of-three Ifeoma Onwuka, 37, died at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, on 1 May, three days after she delivered her baby.

Coroner Yvonne Blake said the on-call consultant had an "apparent lack of confidence/ability".

The hospital's trust said it was "greatly saddened" by the death.

A statement said a "thorough investigation" had been carried out and a response would be provided to the coroner.

Tim Deeming from Tees Law, on behalf of the family, said they "look forward to hearing from the trust as to what steps are being taken to ensure that other families do not have to undergo such tragic circumstances again".

In a prevention of future deaths report, Ms Blake said Mrs Onwuka's labour "progressed very quickly" on 28 April and plans were made for a caesarean section but the baby was delivered in the recovery room.

Mrs Onwuka began to bleed and was examined under general anaesthetic but a registrar could find no obvious source, so an on-call consultant was called.

Ifeoma Onwuka died at the James Paget University Hospital

The consultant, who had not performed an emergency abdominal hysterectomy before, asked for a second consultant.

The first consultant contacted could not attend but "performed a ring around" and one was eventually found but had to drive from Norwich.

The patient had developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, a rare condition causing clots through the body's blood vessels, over which the coroner said the consultant had shown a "lack of professional curiosity".

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Mrs Onwuka, from Lowestoft, died three days later and an expert said the delay in surgery to control the bleeding contributed to her death. Her baby survived.

Ms Blake said: "Pregnant women in the area served by this hospital may be at risk if emergency surgery is needed and this consultant has these apparent difficulties, continues with an apparent lack of professional curiosity and displays no evidence of the ability to work in a team or head a team."

Mr Deeming said the family shared the coroner's "concerns regarding the management of Ifeoma's care and treatment".

"Ifeoma was a loving mother and wife and has left three young children as well as her devoted husband," he said.