'Gross failure' in mother's care

Ifrah Hureh was deemed high risk because she had given birth nine times

A mother-of-11 who died shortly after delivering twins suffered a "gross" failure in basic medical care, an inquest in Cardiff has been told.

Ifrah Hureh, 38, died of an intracranial haemorrhage after pre-eclampsia symptoms were not acted upon by University Hospital of Wales staff.

Mrs Hureh, who had moved from Somalia to Adamsdown in Cardiff, died hours after her twins' births in March 2008.

A senior midwife acknowledged there was "gross failure" in the mother's care.

Bernadette Moss was asked by city coroner Mary Hassell: "Was the care of Ifrah Hureh appropriate?" The midwife replied: "No."

The coroner asked: "Did she receive the basic medical attention you would expect?" Again the midwife replied: "No."

Pre-eclampsia

The coroner finished by asking: "In your view, do you think that the failure in basic medical attention Ifrah received was gross?"

Ms Moss replied: "Yes, I would."

The midwife earlier said it was the first maternal death she had experienced in her 30-year career and that procedures had since been tightened.

The pregnancy had been deemed to be a high risk one because Mrs Hureh had given birth nine times.

The inquest heard Mrs Hureh was found to have elevated blood pressure and high levels of protein in her urine - both symptoms of pre-eclampsia - while on the maternity ward.