Cora Sinnott Sheffield: Baby’s death at Jessop Wing could not have been prevented, coroner rules

Today Sheffield coroner Tanyka Rawden extended her sympathies to Cora’s mum and dad, Hannah and Joe, for their loss, but said her tragic death could not have been prevented. Ms Rawden said there were lessons to be learned, but felt the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals trust which runs the Jessop Wing had accepted that lessons could be learned and had made changes to improve care as a result.

Ms Rawden said Cora was born through an emergency caesarean section at the Jessop Wing in Sheffield on July 18, 2020, after having been given treatment in the womb. She died the following day. The coroner stated that certain factors which reduced the baby's tolerance of stress of labour issues were not known and the death could not have been prevented. “Cora died of natural causes,” she added.

MORE: Inquest hears tragic case of Sheffield baby who died three days after birth at Jessop Wing

The inquest had heard that some of the baby’s heart readings taken had not met with national guidelines, but the coroner ruled that those would have had minimal effect and would not feature in her conclusion. She also said that she was satisfied that the hospital had accepted lessons could be learned, that it had made changes as a result, and that it was monitoring those changes.

Lessons acted upon at Jessop Wing

She said: “There were lessons to be learned, and I’m pleased to see they’ve been acted upon by the trust and changes made.” The changes have included improved guidelines and early assessments for mums who want to give birth at home; monitoring guidelines for the fetal heartbeat had been improved, and another midwife with ‘fresh eyes’ would look at cases more frequently.

Describing Cora as beautiful, the coroner said: “I can’t imagine what it was like for you going through that labour and experience only to lose your precious child.”

The inquest had heard how Cora’s mother, Hannah, had planned to have a home birth, which initially appeared to be progressing normally after her contractions began on the evening of July 17. However, she was transferred to the Jessop Wing the next morning after progress slowed and, according to a midwife who attended her home, she appeared to be ‘becoming quite distressed’.

Emergency caesarean

She was transferred by ambulance before Cora was born. Hannah’s care was transferred to a number of doctors and midwives on the Jessop Wing. But Cora’s condition sadly deteriorated before she was born. She was delivered by emergency caesarean section on the morning of July 18 2020. Intensive resuscitation attempts were required and it took 14 minutes to establish a heartbeat.

Cora was then transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at Jessops where she received further treatment. Tragically her condition did not improve and, following a naming ceremony attended by her family, Cora died on July 19, 2020, at barely 24 hours old. Dr Sophie Stenton, who carried out the post-mortem, said there were signs of hypoxia, which is where the body has been deprived of oxygen. She recorded this as the primary cause of death.

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