Medical Center Depleted Blood Trying to Rescue Wellness Social Media Figure's Life Following Unassisted Home Birth, Coroner Hears.

A hospital depleted its entire stock of a social media health advocate's matching blood type in a futile attempt to save her life as she suffered catastrophic bleeding after a free birth, a coroner's inquest has heard.

The 30-year-old woman, aged 30, was with her husband, her husband, and an unregulated birth attendant named Emily Lal when she delivered her baby boy at her home in Melbourne residence on 29 September.

Her newborn son was healthy, but the mother's state rapidly declined and an emergency services was summoned around 4.30am, the hearing was informed on Wednesday.

Ambulance officers arrived to find the woman looking jaundiced and gasping for air as she sat on the floor near the inflatable pool, the coroner's counsel the court stated.

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

It is suspected she succumbed to complications following a massive bleeding after childbirth, Ellyard explained.

The medical center's stock of her blood group was entirely depleted during medical teams' efforts to save her, the court was informed.

The fatality was notified to authorities, and her husband provided a statement to investigating officers, but the doula refused.

When officers went to examine Warnecke’s home the following day, they also found the property had been deep cleaned by the doula.

Choices Around Prenatal Healthcare

Warnecke chose not to receive any form of medical care during her pregnancy, including declining scan appointments and consultations with a midwife or obstetrician.

The expectant mother desired to deliver at home and engaged Lal, who advertised herself as a advocate for unassisted birth on online platforms.

An unassisted birth, also referred to as a birth without medical attendants, differs from a planned home birth, which includes the assistance of qualified medical practitioners.

The relationship and communications with the doula will be a key part of the official inquest into her death, Ellyard noted.

Her thoughts on the healthcare system, the choices around her delivery plan and wider perspectives following the Covid-19 pandemic will also be examined in a forthcoming hearing.

Context and Ongoing Inquiry

The inquest was told that Warnecke was a qualified dietary consultant who promoted a wholesome and “chemical-free” way of life on her online channels.

It appeared she was profoundly affected by pandemic-related restrictions and those concerns shaped her decision-making during pregnancy and birth, counsel said.

In October, Victoria’s health complaints commissioner issued a warning that it was looking into the doula's activities over concerns she was facilitating or participating in home births that could put mothers and babies at risk.

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

The case will be back before the coroner in the coming months for a procedural update.