KATE Thurgood had had three children by caesarian section before deciding to have her fourth at home.
Tragically, her baby boy died after she was rushed to hospital when the home birth went wrong.
Coroner Kim Parkinson said yesterday she would be investigating the circumstances and cause of death of Joseph Thurgood-Gates at the Monash Medical Centre in December 2010.
“Whilst this is an inquest and not an inquiry into home birthing in general, the issue of birthing arrangements and management in this case will necessarily be considered,” Ms Parkinson told the Coroners Court.
“Also considered will be the circumstances of the delivery and post delivery management at the hospital.”
Leading Senior Constable Tania Cristiano said Kate Thurgood and Dwayne Gates had had three children all born by caesarian section before Kate discovered she was pregnant again in March 2010.
On December 13, 2010, when Kate, 41, was 42 weeks pregnant, she attended Monash Medical Centre with what she described as a heavy bleed.
She was seen by obstetrician Dr Peter Neal and scans revealed both baby and placenta were fine except the baby was in the breech position.
Dr Neal suggested Kate have a caesarian which she declined.
Due to the bleeding, Kate was admitted to hospital for two days and went home to Clayton on December 15.
She went into labour the next day at about 4pm and her midwife Fiona Hallinan arrived about two hours later.
Constable Cristiano said Kate’s labour intensified quickly so Ms Hallinan contacted a second midwife, Jan Ireland, to attend and assist.
The foetal heart rate was found to have decelerated and it was decided to take Kate to Monash.
Joseph was born at 10.16pm but was floppy, not breathing and had no heart beat.
Constable Cristiano said that during attempts to resuscitate Joseph there was an equipment failure of some description.
Joseph died on December 21 when his life support system was turned off.
Dr Kent Kuswanto, who delivered Joseph, said in a statement tendered to the court that he had been told by hospital staff that one of the housewives, Ms Ireland, had been physically obstructive during the birth.
“It was challenging to assess the clinical situation, including the foetal heartbeat, due to refusal of Kate to have fetal monitoring and physical and verbal obstruction from an independent midwife, Jan Ireland,” he said.
Dr Kuswanto claimed Ms Ireland had been blocking the staff’s access to the cardiotocography (CTG) machine to monitor the foetal heartbeat.
“The reason given for this obstruction was for Kate to have as little intervention as possible.”
At one stage Ms Ireland asked, ‘Why does she need that?”, the obstetrician said.
Dr Kuswanto said he remembered there was difficulty obtaining Kate’s consent to an episiotomy (a surgical cut to the perineum with scissors or scalpel to make the baby’s birth easier).
“Usually, when I explain to a woman that an episiotomy is necessary, the woman’s consent is forthcoming.
“However, in this scenario words were said to the effect that ‘I don’t want an episiotomy’.
“The feeling was that I could not do what I wanted to do.”
The inquest resumes on Monday.