MELBOURNE:  A Coroner recommended criminal action be considered against a midwife after finding her gross failures contributed to a mother’s death after a home birth.

Coroner Peter White said while Gaye DEMANUELE had taken steps to deregister herself, she kept practising as a midwife after Caroline Lovell, 36 died on 24 January 2012, from blood loss after the birth of her daughter.

Coroner White said Mrs Lovell begged for an ambulance to be called but was left in the birthing pool for more than an hour after delivery.  He said Mrs Lovell fell unconscious and had to be lifted out and taken to hospital, where she later died.

“I find Caroline literally begged for ambulance to be called,” Coroner White said.

Coroner White said Ms DEMANUELE failed to assess Mrs Lovell’s medical history, failed to create a safe environment for the delivery and neglected to properly gauge her blood pressure after the delivery.

“I find that this death was preventable,” he ruled in the Melbourne Coroner’s Court yesterday, recommending the DPP look into possible action against Ms DEMANUELE.