Midwife breached code during rural home birth resulting in stillbirth

Monday 24 March 2025 · 6 outlets · 4 reports · updated Mon 24 Mar 2025, 3:23pm

In this story Health and Disability Commissioner, Rose Wall

The Health and Disability Commissioner found a midwife breached care standards during a 2020 rural home birth. The midwife left a mother in labour unattended for lunch and coffee, while the baby later died from hypovolemic shock following a cord rupture. The home had no electricity, phone, or internet coverage.

How they headlined it

2pm3:23pm

1. NZ HeraldMon 24 Mar 2025, 2:00pm

   Midwife breached code after baby dies during rural home birth (opens in new tab)

2. Waikato Times via The PressMon 24 Mar 2025, 2:00pm

   Missed warnings, poor advice: Midwife's multiple failures in rural stillbirth case (opens in new tab)

   Also on The Post (opens in new tab), The Press (opens in new tab)

3. RNZMon 24 Mar 2025, 2:11pm

   Midwife left mum with no electricity, phone or internet during 'tragic' birth (opens in new tab)

4. Otago Daily TimesMon 24 Mar 2025, 3:23pm

   Baby died after midwife left mother during home birth: report (opens in new tab)