Senior east London coroner Graeme Irvine said he had “concerns” regarding the baby’s care.
It was the second time in less than a month that the East London Coroner’s Court had heard of a baby dying after potentially suffering injury during delivery at the Romford hospital, which is run by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT).
The child, referred to in court as Baby Millin, was from Romford and was born on October 26.
They died on November 1 at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, having been transferred there after birth.
Three investigations have been launched into Baby Millin’s death: one by BHRUT, one by the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation (MNSI) programme, and now one by Mr Irvine.
The death was referred to his court, he said, “as there was an absence of clear understanding as to how it was that Baby Millin died”.
Mr Irvine ordered a post-mortem, carried out on November 14 by a paediatric pathologist, which concluded the baby had died of “hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy” – brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen before or shortly after birth.
“Given those circumstances, I am going to open an inquest as I have concerns regarding the extent of intrapartum care for Baby Millin, which potentially led to hypoxia,” the coroner said on Monday, January 6, at a brief hearing to open the inquest.
Intrapartum care means treatment during birth.
Mr Irvine made Baby Millin’s family “interested persons”, a legal status entitling them to interrogate evidence before the inquest and question any witnesses called to testify.
BHRUT was also given interested person status.
“If there is to be a patient safety investigation report I will need to see that,” he said. “If the MNSI are investigating this death, I will need a formal statement from them.”
MNSI is linked to hospital inspection watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Last month Mr Irvine opened an inquest into the death of a Brentwood baby, Ada Rose, who died from head and spine injuries believed to have been caused during attempts to deliver her at Queen’s Hospital.
Baby Millin’s inquest was listed for June 27. Ada Rose’s is due to be held on June 11.
BHRUT’s chief nurse Kathryn Halford said: “We extend our sincere condolences to the Millin family following the death of their baby.
“We are working with the coroner while we carry out a review into this birth.
“A Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigation, an independent process, is also taking place.”
