Hospital criticised over death of mother and twin

An inquiry into the death of a woman after she gave birth to twins last year has reportedly criticised Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda over its handling of her care.

Thirty-four-year-old Tania McCabe, a garda sergeant, died at the hospital in March 2007 after giving birth to twins by emergency Caesarean section.

One of the twins also died shortly afterwards.

The conclusions of an investigation into the deaths were presented to the HSE yesterday and reports this morning say they reveal doctors failed to diagnose that Mrs McCabe's waters had broken days before she gave birth.

She had been admitted for one night, but was sent home after her consultant said she just had an episode of urinary incontinence.

The inquiry has criticised poor communication, under-staffing and a systems failure at the hospital and has made 27 recommendations to the HSE in order to rectify the problem.