A BABY was born with severe brain damage after hospital staff missed opportunities to carry out further tests during labour, an inquest heard.

Ahmed Mohammed, of Whitchurch Gardens, Bolton died six months later.

He was starved of oxygen and had to be resuscitated for nine minutes when he was born in March last year.

Bolton Coroners Court heard that doctors did everything they could after the birth and a review was carried out by the Royal Bolton Hospital.

This found tests which monitor the baby’s heart rate while mother Anisa was in labour were misinterpreted, and the senior doctor who was on call was not contacted.

There are three ways the tests could be read — normal, intermediate or serious.

Staff found the heart rate was either normal or intermediate, but the review found it was the most serious level.

That would have prompted a further blood test, which could have revealed he was suffering from a lack of oxygen.

Little Ahmed’s inquest heard the tests showed a problem from 4.50am, but he was delivered by caesarean section at 8.36am.

It is not possible to say whether the outcome would have been the same if he had been delivered earlier, although the inquest heard it was likely he had been suffering for hours rather than minutes.

Deputy Coroner Alan Walsh recorded a narrative verdict, that Ahmed died as a consequence of perinatal asphyxia leading to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy after opportunities to carry out further investigations in relation to clarify whether he was suffering from hypoxia were not taken prior to his birth.

Dr Anthony Tomlinson told the hearing that changes have been made.

A computerised system, which monitors the baby heart rate, has been introduced. This can be monitored remotely from an office and also gives a result which the doctor can agree or disagree with.

Staff are also being given more training. Mr Walsh said: “The main area I would identify is training. Ahmed’s death was a tragedy of immense proportion.”