The Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group has expressed its sympathy to the family of a woman who died at University Hospital Galway last month following a miscarriage.

Savita Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant when she presented at the hospital on October 21st.

She was told she was miscarrying and died of septacemia a week later.

Her husband says she asked for a termination a number of times but was refused because the foetal heartbeat was still present.

In a statement this morning the Hospital Group says it will launch a review of her death.

Kitty Holland is a reporter with The Irish Times.

She says this is one of a number of inquiries that will take place.

She spoke with Breakfast here on Newstalk.

Statement from Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group:

Firstly, the Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group wishes to extend its sympathy to the husband, family and friends of Ms Halappanavar.

As you will be aware, we cannot discuss the details of an individual patient with the media.

In the case of a sudden maternal death, these procedures are followed:

notification of the death to the coroner;

notification of the death to the HSE’s National Incident Management Team;

the completion of a maternal death notification form.

All of these procedures were followed by University Hospital Galway.

It is standard practice to review unexpected deaths in line with the HSE"s National Incident Management Policy.

The family of the deceased is consulted on the terms of reference, interviewed by the review team and given a copy of the final report.

This review can be completed in about three months.

The review has not yet started as the hospital is waiting to consult with the family of the deceased on the terms of reference.

In general in relation to media enquiries about issues where there may be onward legal action, we must reserve our position on what action we may take if assertions about a patient’s care are published and we cannot speak for individual doctors or other medical professionals if a report were to name or identify any.