A coroner has ruled that an NHS trust failed to inform a mother of the risks associated with a natural home birth, after her newborn daughter died just a week after delivery. Poppy Hope Lomas passed away on 26 October 2022, at seven days old, following complications during a home birth facilitated by Edgware Midwives, part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Coroner's Findings
Senior coroner Andrew Walker concluded that the trust supported an "unsafe home delivery that was against medical advice" and failed to address an "accumulation of risk factors," leading to an absence or delay in interventions. The inquest heard that Poppy's mother, Gemma Lomas, was not informed of the risks of a vaginal birth after Caesarean (VBAC) at home, despite guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) recommending such births take place in a suitably equipped delivery suite.
Recommendations Made
The coroner made four recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Care. These include requiring consent forms for patients who choose not to follow medical advice, and implementing multi-disciplinary meetings for unsafe home births. The trust has been urged to review its procedures to ensure that mothers are fully aware of potential risks before opting for home births.
In a statement, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust expressed its condolences to the family and said it would carefully consider the coroner's recommendations. The case highlights the critical importance of clear communication between healthcare providers and patients regarding the risks of home births, particularly for those with previous Caesarean sections.
