The parents of a baby girl, who was mistakenly delivered 5½ weeks prematurely at Out Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and who died 10 days later, are taking further legal advice after an inquest yesterday.
Jessica Darcy Lampf was delivered 39 days prematurely at the hospital by elective Caesarean section after the incorrect due date was written in her mother's file, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard in December.
The inquest, which concluded yesterday, heard medical evidence that the infant most likely developed sepsis and that in turn led to multi-organ failure, which caused death.
However, it remained undetermined yesterday whether the development of sepsis was a direct consequence of the baby's prematurity.
Because of this uncertainty, coroner Dr Brian Farrell returned what was described as a narrative verdict simply describing the sequence of events as established at the hearing.
He recorded that "baby Jessica Darcy Lampf was born on the 8th of July, 2003. The expected, true date was August 16th . . . It was established in the ultrasound scan for August 16th but incorrectly transcribed to the clinical notes." He said birth at 34 weeks was a risk factor for infection.
Dr Siobhán Gormley, consultant paediatrician at Our Lady of Lourdes hospital, said it was immediately obvious the infant was premature and medical clinicians involved in Therese Darcy Lampf's pregnancy straight away "admitted a mistake had been made".
Dr Gormley said infants born at this level of prematurity were up to "30 per cent more susceptible" to infections.
Dr Gormley, Prof Denis Gill, professor of paediatrics in Temple Street Hospital, Dublin, and the pathologist who carried out Jessica's autopsy all agreed on the "balance of probability" that sepsis infection was involved. The infant first developed breathing problems, which was followed within days by multi-organ failure.
She was transferred to Temple Street hospital on July 16th and died two days later. The court heard there were concerns that Jessica had a metabolic disorder that led to her death, but this was discounted in court yesterday in a report from Dr Sufin Yap, a metabolic expert, who carried out extensive tests, ruling out any metabolic disorder.
Outside court, Therese and Conan Darcy Lampf, Dundalk Road, Carlingford, Co Louth, released a statement through their solicitor calling on hospitals to take care when recording dates.
Conor Breen, solicitor for the family, said that now the inquest was concluded the family were considering a civil action against the hospital.
In December, Therese Darcy Lampf told the inquest that she had repeatedly told staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital that the incorrect date had been written in her file but was reassured that the mistake had been noted.