A grieving family has been unable to find out from an inquest what led to a mum suffering two cardiac arrests three weeks after her son was born.

Joanne Sellars was just 32 when she collapsed at the Civic Centre and a bystander came to her aid in May 2024.

Paramedics arrived minutes later to give advanced life support and her heart was restarted.

But shortly after arriving at Royal Stoke University Hospital, she went into cardiac arrest for a second time, and she died the following day after suffering multiple organ failure and irreversible brain damage.

An inquest heard on Wednesday (April 1) that the most common cause of such a collapse was considered to be pulmonary embolism – a blockage caused by a blood clot in the lungs – and Miss Sellars was given clot-dissolving medication when she arrived at hospital on May 22.

But a CT pulmonary angiogram carried out that day found no significant clot or any stress or strain on the right side of the heart – and a post mortem carried out after her death found no large clots or remnants either.

Fiona Gingell, Area Coroner for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, said on Wednesday: "I am unable to determine a specific cause of the cardiac arrests described – nothing has assisted me from a clinical perspective.

"I am satisfied there is no evidence to suggest it was anything other than a natural cause."

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Miss Sellars, of St Aidan Street, Tunstall, had a number of pre-existing health conditions including asthma, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, the inquest heard, before she found out she was pregnant.

She was put on a "high risk antenatal pathway" and seen at the diabetic antenatal clinic during her pregnancy.

Miss Sellars' partner and family members raised concerns about her care in the weeks after the birth of her son by caesarean section on May 1. She remained in Royal Stoke until May 10 before going to an out of area mother and baby unit and she decided to return home on May 13.

On May 14 she had a telephone appointment with a physician associate at Loomer Road Surgery. And on May 15 she attended a physician associate apprentice clinic with a dry cough, nasal congestion and reported shortness of breath and chest tightness, but no specific chest pain, coughing up of blood or leg swelling.

She was seen by another physician associate on May 21, the inquest heard on Tuesday. She had an ongoing cough and was reported to be "feeling quite stressed, compounded by the recent event of having a child", as well as having intermittent chest tightness and wheezing.

An examination found her temperature and heart rate at normal levels, but a "significant rise" in her blood pressure. The inquest heard that she had not managed to monitor her blood pressure at home as requested during the May 15 appointment.

She was considered to have a viral upper respiratory tract infection and some anxiety, but was not thought to have pulmonary embolism because she had no chest pain or leg swelling, the inquest was told.

Since Miss Sellars' death there have been changes to the type of patients seen at the surgery by physician associates and they no longer see pregnant women, those who have given birth within the past three months, or people with learning disabilities.

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Ms Gingell said at Wednesday's hearing there had been a "missed opportunity" on May 21 for further investigation of Miss Sellars, discussion with a GP on site or escalation to hospital if deemed necessary. But she added that it would be "speculative" to say whether or not this could have changed the outcome.

"I have heard a lot of evidence from the hospital trust and GP practice in terms of learning and changes – it is my finding both have taken the matter of learning very seriously", she said.

"Agencies have engaged in external and internal review processes and those involved have reflected, learned and implemented changes to put learning into practice.

"Both have implemented recommendations from the MNSI (Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations). At the hospital they have put consultant daily ward rounds in place – while this wouldn't have changed anything for Joanne, it is an important improvement in timely escalation and oversight.

"I accept these changes don't bring Joanne back, but I hope in time her family will be able to see the changes made as some kind of legacy.

"It is very clear to me that Joanne was and always will be much loved and so deeply missed by all of her family."