Coroner Maria Dougan has said that the tragic death of Orlaith Quinn was “foreseeable and preventable”.
The mother of three young children took her own life on 11th of October 2018, after reportedly experiencing severe postpartum depression following the birth of her third child, Maebh.
Mrs Quinn went missing from the hospital room where she was staying in the early hours of the morning, sometime after her husband, Ciaran, fell asleep.
When he woke, he discovered she was gone and alerted staff who shortly afterwards found her body in a nearby corridor.
Just hours before her body was discovered Ms. Quinn is reported to have told staff at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital (RJMH) in Belfast that she has made three previous attempts on her life.
The coroner’s report found that records of Ms. Quinn’s mental health were inadequately kept and that on the balance of probabilities her tragic death could have been prevented “had all of the available information” on her condition been properly handled.
She added that, “In the evidence to me, there were a number of missed opportunities in the care and treatment of the deceased.”
The BBC reported that Orlaith’s husband Ciaran Quinn testified to the coroner’s court saying that his wife’s behaviour while in hospital changed the day after their daughter was born.
He added that she has been “extremely tired, but when she put her head on the pillow she jumped up immediately”.
Prior to the tragedy Orlaith had been examined by psychatritist Bob Boggs, who told the inquest he believed she was suffering from obsessional neurosis but could not rule out postpartum psychosis.
The NHS says “ Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health illness that can affect someone soon after having a baby.” Adding that the condition must be treated as a “medical emergency”.
Symptoms can include: hallucinations, delusions, manic mood, low mood, loss of inhibitions, feelings of fear or suspicion, restlessness, confusion, and uncharacteristic behaviour.
The condition is said to affect around 1 in 500 mothers.