World Politics3 min(s) read
Doctor explains why 'freebirthing' influencer who died during childbirth could still be alive if she'd made one crucial decision
A doctor has spoken out about the Australian food influencer who died in September last year after hemorrhaging following the birth of her first child without a nurse or midwife present, and explained a crucial decision she could have made to save her life.
Stacey Warnecke, a Melbourne-based wellness influencer, chose to have a free birth, delivering her baby without any medical professionals present, with support from unregistered birth attendant Emily Lal.
A coroner’s inquest into Warnecke’s death revealed that the content creator was adamant about having no medical intervention before, during, or after the birth, and her husband, Nathan Warnecke, honored her wishes.
The 30-year-old expectant mother was eventually rushed to a hospital, where it was reported that over 20 medical professionals worked tirelessly to save her life, but it was too late, and she died of a severe postpartum hemorrhage shortly after arrival.
Her son Axel was delivered and survived the traumatic ordeal.
In a YouTube video posted by an account called Mama Doctor Jones, an obstetrician-gynecologist breaks down the difference between a medically supported home birth and freebirthing.
A qualified obstetrician / gynecologist believes the death could have been avioded
Danielle Jones explained that a postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is so dangerous because your body is unable to clot the blood, essentially causing you to bleed to death if you do not receive a blood transfusion as soon as possible.
She said: "Hemorrhage related to pregnancy is the number one way people die from birth-related issues. However, it is highly treatable and very uncommon for that to happen when you are under the care of a reliable health care professional."
Dr Jones added: "I have very little doubt this person, if that's the whole story, would have died if they had a reliable midwife or obstetrician in a hospital."
The doctor then went on to call out Emily Lal, Warnecke’s 'birthkeeper', an unregulated birth support worker who was reportedly paid $6,000 to keep her safe and play the role of a supportive friend.
The inquest into Warnecke’s death which included an investigation into Lal, began in June, but it was paused while Warnecke’s phone underwent forensic analysis.
The coroner and doctor believe the birth keeper could have prevented Warnecke’s death
Hearings were resumed at the end of October, and Rachel Ellyard, the counsel assisting the coroner, said: “Ms Lal saw her role as to groom her clients into being strong enough to resist the temptation to seek medical help during labor, to seek pain relief during labor, to go to hospital during labor.
“It’s clear that Ms Lal thought that in most cases, going to hospital would represent a failure of someone who hadn’t done the work, who hadn’t understood enough what the intensity of labor was going to be.”
Allegedly, Lal also told Warnecke that midwives who attend home births sometimes inadvertently sabotage them, because if the birth goes on too long, they tell the woman to go to hospital.
Commenting on the evidence against Lal, Dr Jones said: "It's really interesting how people selling themselves as experts translate from the internet to the real world and also hurts people online and in the real world. This is inconsistent with the idea of a friend who just pulls your hair back and wipes your forehead."