A young woman, Zoe Tighe, tragically passed away due to sepsis, along with her unborn child, after being unaware of her pregnancy for 14 weeks despite visiting the hospital four times with complaints of lower abdominal pain. Medical professionals did not conduct a pregnancy test during her visits, instead treating her for a recurring urinary tract infection (UTI).
During her final hospital visit, Miss Tighe was diagnosed with sepsis and a scan revealed she was 14 weeks pregnant, but the unborn baby had already died. The inquest revealed that the unborn baby succumbed to sepsis, while Miss Tighe went into septic shock due to a UTI with complications from ketamine misuse.
The inquest disclosed that Miss Tighe had been dealing with health issues since taking ketamine at 17, leading to severe bladder problems. Despite undergoing a rehabilitation program, she relapsed shortly after its completion. Miss Tighe was admitted to the hospital multiple times before being rushed to A&E, where it was discovered she had a severe kidney infection and had miscarried.
Despite efforts by doctors to stabilize her, Miss Tighe suffered multiple cardiac arrests and passed away the following day. The inquest highlighted missed opportunities to detect her pregnancy earlier but determined that these oversights did not directly cause her death as there were no signs of infection in the birth canal or the fetus.
The coroner attributed Miss Tighe’s death to septic shock from a UTI related to ketamine misuse. It was noted that earlier knowledge of her pregnancy might have led to different medical interventions, although the pregnancy itself did not cause the fatal infection. The hospital has since implemented changes, including routine blood tests for women of childbearing age.
In a statement, the coroner expressed condolences to Miss Tighe’s family and acknowledged her potential and struggles with health issues. Her mother shared how Miss Tighe, despite having a promising career and a supportive home life, continued to suffer from extreme pain.
