The midwifery unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital has reviewed its practices after the death of a five-day-old baby, an inquest heard this week.

Sarah Whale, of Carrington Road, was initially unaware that she was pregnant with Hope when she went to the Minor Injuries Unit at High Wycombe Hospital, on February 26.

Buckinghamshire Coroners' Court was told that Ms Whale was transferred to Stoke Mandeville Hospital when midwives raised concerns about the baby’s heart rate following a "suspicious" cardiotocography (CTG) scan.

Throughout the morning of February 26, midwives were "suspicious" of the dips in the baby’s heart rate, otherwise known as decelerations.

However, due to poor communication between staff, Ms Whale was discharged from hospital later that day.

Aparna Reddy, consultant at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, came on shift that afternoon and reviewed Ms Whale’s case at about 3pm.

She said: "The family were just coming to terms with the diagnosis of the pregnancy. I gather she was discharged and came back the following day.

"If I had been given all the information, in terms of what my management plan was, it would have made a difference."

Miss Reddy said: "Considering all the information I have now I didn’t have the whole picture at that stage."

Miss Reddy told the inquest that, had she been aware of the full picture, she would have perhaps taken Ms Whale into theatre to break her waters.

As it stood, Ms Whale was discharged from hospital and given the details of an anti natal unit she should keep in touch with.

The court was told that she was readmitted into hospital the following day and there was a "highly abnormal foetal sample".

When tested, the baby’s blood sample had a PH of 6.8. A normal reading should measure at 7.25 and anything below 7.20 is abnormal.

Baby Hope’s PH level was extremely low and implied the amount of oxygen she was getting was very low.

Hope was delivered just before 10pm on February 27. She died five days later after spending her entire life on a ventilator.

Pathologist, Dr Colene Bowker, examined Hope’s body and confirmed that brain damage had occurred, although when it did so was in doubt.

Coroner Richard Hulett said: "Had things gone differently on (February) 26 it’s likely, according to the evidence I have heard, they would have artificially ruptured the membranes then and it would have led to a delivery that day.

"As it happens there is a full 24 hours after that. Whilst there are some agreed shortcomings on (February) 26 I have to see if there are any links between those shortcomings and the very serious outcome."

Since Hope's death, Stoke Madeville Hospital has reviewed its practices and implemented a number of steps to help with better communication and the transfer of information between shifts.

A narrative conclusion was given.

Mr Hulett said: "All material events occurred on the labour ward at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on February 26 and 27. On the morning of (February) 26, the CTG readings were considered suspicious but appeared to normalise later.

"This history was not passed on to the afternoon team. In consequence Sarah Whale was discharged home rather than being kept in hospital and receiving further care and monitoring.

"By the time of her readmission in the evening of February 27, it is more likely than not that her unborn baby was experiencing reduced oxygen."