Woman successfully gives birth after hospital goes to court

A pregnant woman who was the subject of a court application by a hospital to compel her to undergo a caesarean section has successfully given birth.

It is understood the woman,  who cannot be identified for legal reasons but was referred to in the High Court yesterday as A, gave birth at Waterford Regional Hospital yesterday.

The hospital had earlier made an emergency application to the court to compel her to undergo a caesarean section as doctors believed there could be a risk for the woman and her unborn child if a natural birth was attempted.

The court was told the woman was two weeks overdue.

The woman had initially resisted the procedure, saying she would like to deliver naturally but that if there was an emergency over the weekend, she would consent to a caesarean section.

However, just minutes before Judge John Hedigan was due to deliver his ruling, a barrister for the hospital told the court that the woman had given consent for the procedure. The proceedure was carried out yesterday evening.