An inquest is being held into the death of a baby at Stoke-on-Trent's main hospital.

Fatima Khan was pronounced dead within hours of being born at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

It has led medics to accept that stopping a cardiotocography before the delivery had been a mistake and the removal of 'resuscitative care' after the birth had also been wrong.

Now North Staffordshire coroner Emma Serrano is continuing to hear evidence during a three-day Stoke inquest.

The inquest heard Fatima's mum was admitted to the Royal Stoke on June 4, 2023. Observations were taken at 6.16pm and the cardiotocography, commonly known as a CTG, which monitors a baby's heart-rate and a mother's contractions during pregnancy was normal.

But the CTG was stopped at 7.30pm and not reapplied until 10.15pm, it was discovered the baby's heart-rate had dropped, and a medical emergency was declared.

Fatima, whose parents lived in Stone, was delivered just before midnight.

Dr Victoria Allouni told the inquest that the CTG should not have been discontinued as information on Fatima's heart-rate was missing.

Dr Allouni, a consultant in obstetrics and maternal medicine, said: "It may be that she would have lived a little bit longer, it may have been that she survived with a neurological deficit or it might have been that she survived and been ok. But without knowing what the fetal heart pattern was prior to and the event that happened it's difficult to say."

Dr Julia Uffindell, clinical lead in neonatology, was called at 11.30pm to inform her that the team was resuscitating a baby who would likely need therapeutic hypothermia. This is a type of treatment which lowers body temperature to reduce injury.

Dr Uffindell arrived at the delivery suite at 32 minutes of life and made the decision to turn off the resuscitative care as the heart-rate had been audible and airways were clear. However Dr Uffindell called this the wrong decision.

She said: "In hindsight this was the wrong decision as she had not been sufficiently stabilised. However, I do not believe it made a difference to the ultimate outcome."

An examination of the baby was carried out again at 34 minutes of life and it was noticed Fatima's heart-rate was not audible and chest compressions were recommenced.

In the view of Dr Uffindell at this point it would have been unlikely that Fatima would have survived in view of her condition and the degree of resuscitation she had received.

The inquest continues.