Hospital Depleted Blood In an Attempt to Rescue Health Social Media Figure's Life After Unassisted Birth, Inquest Is Told.

A hospital exhausted its supply of a social media health advocate's specific blood group in a unsuccessful bid to keep her alive as she experienced massive hemorrhaging after a so-called "wild" birth, a court has heard.

The 30-year-old woman, aged 30, was accompanied by her spouse, her husband, and an unlicensed birth attendant named Emily Lal when she gave birth to her baby boy at her home in Melbourne home on the 29th of September.

Her newborn son was well, but Warnecke's state deteriorated quickly and an ambulance was called around 4.30am, the inquest was told on this week.

Paramedics arrived to find Warnecke looking yellow and having difficulty breathing as she was seated on the floor near the water birth tub, the coroner's counsel the court said.

She was taken to the local hospital but her life could not be saved.

The preliminary finding suggests she succumbed to complications after a massive bleeding after childbirth, the counsel said.

The hospital’s supply of her blood group was completely exhausted during medical teams' attempts to save her, the inquest was informed.

Warnecke’s death was reported to police, and Nathan Warnecke gave an account to investigating officers, but the doula refused.

As police went to inspect the residence the following day, they also found the house had been thoroughly cleaned up by the doula.

Choices Around Prenatal Care

The woman opted not to receive any form of prenatal care during her pregnancy, including refusing scan appointments and consultations with a qualified midwife or obstetrician.

She planned to deliver at home and contacted the doula, who advertised herself as a free birth “keeper” on online platforms.

An unassisted birth, also referred to as a wild or unassisted birth, differs from a home delivery with professional support, which includes the assistance of registered medical practitioners.

The relationship and communications with Lal will form part of the coroner’s investigation into her death, the counsel noted.

The 30-year-old’s views on the medical establishment, the decisions around her birth plan and wider perspectives in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic will also be examined in a forthcoming hearing.

Context and Ongoing Investigation

The inquest was told that Warnecke was a certified dietary consultant who promoted a healthy and “chemical-free” lifestyle on social media.

Evidence suggests she was profoundly affected by Covid mandates and those apprehensions influenced her choices during pregnancy and birth, counsel said.

In October, the state health regulator issued a warning that it was investigating Lal over concerns she was facilitating or participating in home deliveries that could put mothers and babies at risk.

The investigation would be requesting testimony from the doula, as well as from the emergency responders and hospital staff who cared for the patient, the court was told.

The case will return to the coroner’s court in March for a procedural update.