'Serious error' made by doctors over new mother's blood clots

Despite complaining to nurses on the ward of feeling breathless and tired, Kathryn Hawkins, aged 29, from Lowton, was sent home 10 days after her daughter was delivered by caesarean section, where the symptoms continued and eventually worsened.

Just days later her GP referred her to the hospital's accident and emergency department where two doctors examined her and carried out rigorous tests before suggesting the possibility of blood clots on the lungs, Warrington Coroner's Court was told.

But an inquest heard that due to a series of errors, Mrs Hawkins' embolism went undiagnosed.

The two doctors had changed shift and Mrs Hawkins was examined by another doctor who diagnosed asthma and admitted her to a non-medical ward, despite her having no previous medical history of respiratory problems.

On visiting his wife, Mr Hawkins told how he found her slumped over a table and noticed that her fingers had turned blue.

Registrar Dr Stephen Hood told the inquest: "I was under the impression she was asthmatic.

"I should have questioned the diagnosis but felt pressured for time. In retrospect I should have gone over things in more detail."

Dr Hugh Griffiths admitted that the longer the condition was left untreated the bigger it would get, increasing the risk of it being fatal.

Hospital consultant Dr Barry Linaker told the inquest how the obvious diagnosis would have been a pulmonary embolism, which should have been treated with an anti-coagulant.

Dr Linaker admitted: "It was a serious error.

He said: "She should have been gone onto an acute medical ward for closer monitoring."

Asked what the hospital could have done differently to save Mrs Hawkins, he replied: "We should have made the correct diagnosis."

Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg concluded that death was from a pulmonary embolism caused by multiple factors including a caesarean section, which was necessary and appropriate.