Troy Brady inquest hears different accounts of birth
- Published
Troy Brady died in Craigavon Area Hospital six days after he was born
Medical professionals involved in the delivery of a baby who was born in "a state of collapse" have given different accounts of the birth to an inquest.
Troy Brady was born at Craigavon Hospital in August 2016 and died six days later in the neonatal unit.
Troy suffered severe brain damage due to a lack of blood and oxygen supply.
A pathologist told the court during his evidence that Troy, who was born at 33 weeks, was otherwise a normally developed baby.
Midwives and doctors involved in the care of Troy's mother Jane Brady have given evidence to the inquest at Laganside Coroners Court.
Warning: Some readers may find parts of this article distressing
On Tuesday, Dr Rohit Sharma, who delivered Troy, told the court he had opted for what the inquest called the all-fours position for the vaginal breech birth.
If a baby is breeched it means they are lying bottom or feet first.
Dr Sharma accepted this was not a position that the wider medical team at Craigavon had experience with for breech deliveries.
He said he had experience with it though when asked had he performed the specified delivery method in a pre-term pregnancy before, he replied: "Probably not."
Dr Sharma told the inquest he delivered Troy's legs and abdomen in the delivery position and then repositioned Jane Brady on to her back before delivering Troy's arms, neck, and eventually his head.
On Wednesday, another doctor who was present in the delivery suite, Dr Jane Creighton, told the inquest Mrs Brady was not on her back but in the all-fours position for the delivery of the arms and neck.
"She was then moved to her back," he said.
"The baby was hanging up to the neck and my instinct was to support the baby" for the change in position, she added.
'No evidence of head entrapment'
A midwife taking notes also recalled Dr Creighton supporting baby Troy's body as Mrs Brady was moved into a different position.
Dr Creighton said the change in position took "less than two minutes".
When asked if Dr Sharma seemed panicked, Dr Creighton replied: "I think he was focused."
A solicitor for the family put it to Dr Creighton that Troy's head was "stuck" and asked her if she believed this was "head entrapment?"
Dr Creighton replied "there was no evidence of head entrapment".
Sister Florence Herbert, who was in the delivery suite, also gave evidence
She recalled that her and Dr Sharma disagreed about using the all-fours position for the vaginal breech delivery as she and the rest of the team had no experience with it.
'Step in and save the day'
The inquest heard Sister Herbert's recollection of the delivery was similar to Dr Sharma's.
"Mrs Brady was moved before the arms were released," she said.
She added "the arms were delivered once Mrs Brady's legs were in the stirrups, as Dr Sharma said."
Jane Brady told the inquest during her evidence that Troy was delivered up to his neck in the all-fours position and was "hanging there, just hanging there".
Her husband John Brady described the labour as "shocking".
"I was waiting for someone to step in and save the day. It seemed as if no-one knew what they were doing," he said.
The inquest continues.
- Published9 April
- Published8 April
