A medical expert has identified shortcomings in the care of Savita Halappanavar at Galway University Hospital. The inquest has heard the 31-year-old died from septicaemia on October 28th last following a miscarriage.

Dr. Susan Knowles has been giving her expert opinion on Mrs. Halappanavar's care. The microbiologist has told the inquest there was a delay in recognising the condition of the 31-year-old was deteriorating prior to her miscarriage on Wednesday October 24th.

She has found the medical team should have been actively managing her care following a ward round by consultant Dr. Katherine Astbury at 8.20am that morning and that a second opinion for delivering the foetus should have been sought earlier

She has also highlighted that many of the medical entries that morning are retrospective.

Midwife to be re-called

Meanwhile midwife Ann-Maria Burke who told Savita she could not have an abortion because Ireland is a Catholic country is to be re-called to the inquest. This is because of 'irreconcilable' differences between her evidence and that of a doctor's.

The inquest is hearing from the first of Coroner Dr. Ciaran McLoughlin's 5 expert witnesses.

After the weekend the inquest will resume next Wednesday. Savita's husband Praveen is not at the inquest today.

His solicitor Gerard O'Donnell spoke outside the Coroner's Court.