Jessica Cronshaw,26, from Lancashire, was 28 weeks pregnant when she was found hanged in her family home, after experiencing a sharp decline in her mental health
A pregnant primary school teacher suffering with acute morning sickness took her own life after medical staff exacerbated her mental health conditions, a coroner said today.
Jessica Cronshaw, 26, was initially elated that she was expecting her first baby with her partner, Eddie Leck, but was “reduced to a shell” as a result of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), the same form of nausea and vomiting experienced by the Princess of Wales.
Jessica complained of feeling “down”, but medics failed to notice the decline in her mental health. They also told her, incorrectly, that the one medication that relieved her symptoms could harm her unborn child. In response, she reduced her dose.
Speaking at the inquest, her partner Eddie said: “It felt like no-one was listening to us.” But within six weeks, Jessica’s mother Susan found her beloved daughter hanged in her bedroom at the family home in Accrington, Lancashire. Paramedics resuscitated her before she was rushed to hospital for an emergency caesarean, but neither of them survived. Jessica’s family have been trying to raise awareness over the lack of support for expectant mothers experiencing the debilitating illness.
Kate Bisset, coroner, said she was “satisfied” that Jessica’s care had a knock-on effect and caused a “deterioration in her mental health”. This led to an “impulsive” decision to take her own life. The coroner said she supported Susan’s campaign, adding: ‘There needs to be public awareness and more information about the crippling impact of this condition and how it can change the lives of those who suffer from it, or in this case end them.”
After the hearing, the family said they were “grateful to the coroner for recognising the severe and devastating impact hyperemesis gravidarum had on Jess’s physical and mental wellbeing”.
“She acknowledged that the failure to investigate mental health issues and effectively treat the physical symptoms of HG, and that the cumulative effects of poor care, such as feeling unheard and being given incorrect information about medication, was a significantly contributing factor to her declining mental health. Jess’s family now hope that this will lead to a major change in the care and treatment for women suffering HG so that such a tragedy will not happen again.”
