Inquest hears Qld mum felt 'dismissed' by doctors after asking for C-section

A coronial inquest is examining the cause of death of newborn Alby Spreadborough, who passed away at Emerald Hospital in February 2023. The inquiry heard that Ms. Spreadborough, Alby's mother, experienced a rare medical condition called Bandl's ring, which constricted the uterus and restricted the baby's exit from the birth canal.

Despite asking for a caesarean section during an extremely painful labour, doctors initially encouraged her to continue with a vaginal birth for an additional hour. Ms. Spreadborough felt pressured to proceed with the vaginal birth, even though she firmly requested a caesarean section later. Upon realizing something had gone wrong during the caesarean operation, she observed doctors attempting to revive her baby.

Both Ms. Spreadborough and her husband expressed that they were unaware of any discussions about abnormalities in the baby's scans. The inquest will investigate whether a caesarean section should have been performed earlier and if it would have changed the outcome for Alby.