Jaxon McVey: Baby boy's death was foreseeable and preventable, coroner rules

Christine McCleery's son Jaxon was stillborn in March 2017

The death of a baby boy after failings at the Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn in March 2017 was foreseeable and preventable, a coroner has ruled.

Christine McCleery's son Jaxon McVey was stillborn at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after she was transferred from Lagan Valley Hospital.

She had developed a serious complication known as shoulder dystocia.

That results in the baby becoming stuck during the final stages of labour.

Speaking to BBC News NI after the coroner's verdict on Friday, Ms McCleery said it was a "bittersweet" moment.

"We now know we haven't been going out of our minds for almost six years," she said.

"When we process it I imagine we will be content with what we heard today.

"It's been really about getting that validation and confirmation that we have been right along.

• Mother of stillborn boy 'did not feel safe in unit'

The coroner listed a number of failings by Lagan Valley Hospital, including a failure to correctly record Ms McCleery's height, which led to her body mass index (BMI) being measured incorrectly.

That could have meant that she may have not been suitable to give birth in a midwife-led unit.

The coroner told the court that had Ms McCleery's BMI been measured correctly it would have resulted in a different outcome.

Birth services at the Lagan Valley Hospital were put on hold in March

The coroner also said Ms McCleery was not given sufficient information to make an informed, clinically-appropriate decision about her care.

The coroner also concluded the number of staff at Lagan Valley Hospital was not sufficient to deal with complications during labour.

'Huge catalogue of errors'

Ms McCleery said the death of her son "changes your whole life".

"There were so many appointments that this could have been corrected and these risks could have been identified," she said.

"It was just like a huge catalogue of errors."

She said the hospital had to "be able to deal with emergency situations" like hers, and that obstetricians - doctors specialising in pregnancy and childbirth - should lead the care.

Ms McCleery said she hoped the verdict in her case would prevent other babies being put at risk.

In March the midwife-led maternity unit at the Lagan Valley Hospital stopped offering birth services.

The South Eastern Health Trust said it took that decision because of "concerns that have been raised about a very small number of cases who have birthed in the unit".

Up until that point an average of eight women give birth in the unit each month.