Woman's death in Kerry hospital after giving birth due to 'massive, catastrophic bleed'

Tatenda Mukwata's mother Catherine Mukwata and Tatenda's daughter Eva Mukwata at the inquest into her death in Tralee on Wednesday. Picture: Domnick Walsh

A woman who died hours after giving birth by Caesarean section suffered a “catastrophic” internal haemorrhage in which almost half the blood in her body pooled into one area.

An inquest in Tralee into the death of Tatenda Mukwata, who died at University Hospital Kerry on April 21 last year, was told two litres of blood had gathered in one part of her abdomen, where a body typically holds up to five litres.