Doctors save baby when mother-to-be drowns in bath after nurses ignore fainting warning

Doctors carried out an emergency caesarean section after Lorraine Maddi was discovered unconscious under the water.

Her baby survived but the first-time mother died in intensive care eight days later.

Mrs Maddi, 31, had a history of fainting attacks and would often collapse in stressful situations.

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Medical staff were warned about her condition and a family friend even told a midwife to keep an eye on her in the bath.

But the estate agent was left unattended for 45 minutes and was discovered only when the friend returned from picking up her belongings, an inquest in Nottingham heard.

Coroner Dr Nigel Chapman said he was able only to record an open verdict because of uncertainty over how Mrs Maddi died.

Her husband Phaninder Maddi was in India when his wife was taken to Bassetlaw Hospital in Worksop on June 1 last year.

She was accompanied by friend Paul Guthrie, who informed midwives of the medical condition that made her prone to fainting.

A midwife suggested she take a bath to help with the labour pains.

Mr Guthrie left the hospital to collect some personal items and he told a midwife to keep an eye on her in the bath.

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But when he came back an hour later Mrs Maddi was still in the bathroom with the door locked.

She did not respond to knocking so midwives opened the door and found her submerged under water and not breathing.

Doctors resuscitated her and delivered her baby Jayden but Mrs Maddi later died.

Hospital officials have since admitted there were no official guidelines on whether pregnant women should be left to bathe on their own - but there was the assumption among the midwives on duty that Mrs Maddi would not be left alone during her bath.

The hearing was told Mrs Maddi had written to the hospital saying she was under stress because her mother had died and had warned them the fainting attacks were increasing.

Hospital management have promised to introduce guidelines about the supervision of patients to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.

Mr Maddi, 29, a warehouse worker, has instructed solicitors to take legal action against the hospital trust.

He said after the hearing: "I hope they keep to their word and make the changes, that is all I want now. My son will never know his mother.

"My son might not even have been alive if Paul hadn't come back when he did. I just hope that something-good will come out of losing my wife."

Mr Guthrie added: "The word observation means to watch but obviously Lorraine wasn't watched.

"It's easy to apologise to someone for knocking on a door or opening a door rather than waiting for a tragedy to happen."

A spokesman for the Doncaster and Bassetlaw trust said: "As soon as Lorraine was discovered, the staff did all they could to save her and her baby.

"Fortunately, incidents such as happened to Lorraine are extremely rare.

In the light of the tragedy of her death and the evidence heard at the inquest, the trust will be reviewing its practice with regard to bathing."