Expert tells inquest of delay in recognising Savita's deteriorating condition

A medical expert has told the inquest into the death of Savita Halappanavar that there was a delay in recognising that her condition was deteriorating prior to her miscarriage.

Dr Susan Knowles has been giving her expert opinion on day five of the inquest on the care given to Savita at Galway University Hospital.

She said that shortcomings have been identified and that the medical team should have sought a second opinion earlier for delivering the foetus.

The inquest has heard the 31-year-old died from septicaemia on October 28th last following a miscarriage.

A doctor who treated Savita Halappanavar in intensive care has told her inquest he was hopeful she would turn a corner, two days before her death.

Consultant anaesthetist Dr Paul Naughton told the inquiry that Ms Halappanavar had septic shock two days before her death.

The chance of death was 40 % but given her age he was still hopeful she would turn a corner.

Savita was by that stage receiving the right antibiotics but according to the consultant the infection had started a cascade of events that did not stop.

Savita's husband Praveen Halappanavar is not present today.

His solicitor Gerard O'Donnell told reporters that Praveen has been finding the hearing difficult.

"He found the episode very stressful but, as he had said, his version is and will be borne out and I think you can all see it being borne out."

Update at 4.30pm

Midwife Patricia Gilligan told the inquest she believed the 31-year-old was having a septic abortion on the Wednesday before her death.

She was informed Savita Halappanavar's temperature had earlier spiked at 39.6 degrees and her pulse rate had reached 160.

"I really don't hear that too often", she said " was very concerned for her and thought she was a septic abortion."

The midwife moved Savita to a room beside the nurse's station.

Ms Gilligan said she did not speak to consultant obstetrician Dr Katherine Astbury on her round of the ward at 8.30 am.

However she did add that Dr Astbury "would've been seeing what I'd seen."

The inquest has now concluded for the week and will resume again next Wednesday.