NEW mums must be monitored more closely for signs of infection, and should take care to wash their hands before, as well as after, going to the toilet, Gwent’s deputy coroner has urged.

Wendy James told an inquest into the death of 27- year-old mother-of-two Yvonne Nyakuhwa, of Rogerstone, that it is “absolutely imperative” lessons such as these are learned, “so other children do not have to grow up without their mothers”.

Mrs Nyakuhwa, a nurse, died of septicaemia at the Royal Gwent Hospital four days after giving birth to second son Taona, after picking up a Group A Streptococcus infection, described as insidious, extremely rapid in onset, and a cause of irreversible damage.

But it is rare in newmothers and had not been encountered by midwives and doctors who dealt with Mrs Nyakuhwa in her final days and hours.

The inquest was told she most likely picked up the infection after leaving hospital, and was already fatally ill when she walked back into the Royal Gwent at 7.15am on Sunday, April 11, 2010, complaining of abdominal pain and heavy blood loss. Less than four hours later, she died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

A community midwife had visited Mrs Nyakuhwa at her home on April 9, the day after her discharge fromhospital.

Based on guidelines of the time, she had not performed general observations such as measuring blood pressure, temperature and pulse rate, as Mrs Nyakuhwa seemed well and told the midwife so.

But Mrs Nyakuhwa had already had the first of three bouts of shivering – the next two occurred the following day – which husband Andrew told the inquest they had been informed by midwives were a common symptom of difficulties in producing breast milk.

Mr Nyakuhwa phoned the hospital after each bout on April 10, butwas adamant they had not been advised to come back in.

Midwife Theresa Moss however, said that during the second call that day she askedMrs Nyakuhwa to come to the Royal Gwent.

On Sunday April 11, Mrs Nyakuhwa woke experiencing abdominal pain and heavy blood loss.

Dr Victoria Logan, speciality registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology, said that in hospital that morning Mrs Nyakuhwa at first “did not seem partiuclarly unwell”.

But within an hour of arrival she began to deteriorate and was transferred into high dependency and later intensive care.

Verdict: Death by natural causes, namely a recognised complication following childbirth.

Handwashing plea

AFTER hearing the results of an incident investigation inquiry carried out for Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Miss James said general observations must be made on new mothers for several days after their discharge home.

She said that “all hospital and community-based health professionals should receive training in recognising early symptoms of possible sepsis (blood poisoning)”.

“New mothers should be advised of the risk of sepsis and its early symptoms, and routinely advised in the postnatal period, of the need to wash their hands before and after going to the toilet,” she said.