COMPLETED:Childbirth query

[cupcake]

Can anyone help me with this please.

I was told my father's first wife died in childbirth but, her cause of death was Bronchial Pneumonia. Is it possible she could have died in childbirth? or perhaps I'll never know.  It's just niggleing me a tad.

Cupcake

[Plummiegirl]

Only 1 sure way to be certain - order the certificate - you know her married name.  But get in quick as the prices are going up soon.

[cupcake]

I have her death certificate and it says cause of death - Bronchail pneumonia.

[Plummiegirl]

Sorry - well that to me would suggest that she did not die in childbirth - what happened to the child?

OR:

Did they die around the same time.  It could be that she was ill in the latter stages of her pregnancy & the strain of the birth just aggravated her symptoms, thus causing her death.  And if the child too died, then her weakened state of health could have been a contributing factor there.

Was the death registered by her husband or was there a coroners inquest, if so you may be able to get copies.

As you can see I am trying to cover every option here!!!!   Good luck

[cupcake]

Thank you for covering every option.

She died in a nursing home and, sadly was only 27 years old. There wasn't a cornoners  inquest. The father was present. She obviously did not die in childbirth, which I told, she had.

Thank you

Cupcake

[Sloe Gin]

I doubt if 'childbirth' itself is, strictly speaking, a cause of death.  There are causes directly related to childbirth, such as puerperal fever.  As Plummiegirl suggested, it could be that her bronchial illness was aggravated by strain.  Do you know if she did give birth to a child around the time of her death?  If there's no record, it could have been stillborn.

[cupcake]

The fact that I was told she died in childbirth, is the reason for my query. Yes, I agree with you, her bronchial illness could have been aggravated by the strain.

I don't know if she gave birth to a child around the time of her death. Had thought about a stillborn. I did look on SP for a birth between 1931/33 (when she married and died).

Perhaps it's one of these things I'll never know.

[kathb]

Cupcake, was there only one cause of death on the certificate? Bronchial Pneumonia can be caused by many things e.g. bacteria, virus, or following a long period of bed rest in a debilitated person.  Family oral history often has a grain of truth in it.  It could be that she spent most of a pregnancy in bed and was already debilitated and 'lost' the baby early or stillborn at birth.  Had it been at birth I would have expected the doctor to say following childbirth or exacerbated by - unless you find a definitive reference to her having a child it could remain one of lifes mysteries.  As she died in a Nursing Home at the age of 27.  Have you googled the name of the nursing home as stated on the death certificate or asked Rootschatters in the county of the nursing home for help? Many Maternity Homes were called Nursing Homes (Nursing Mothers and the like of those days) and if it was a Maternity Home this might 'pin down' the fact that she had had a child, stillbirth or miscarriage. Please let us all know how you get on with tracking the nursing home?
Regards
Kathb

[Sloe Gin]

Registration of stillbirths was introduced in 1927, so there would be a record of it if this was what happened.  The stillbirths register is not in the public domain.  You could perhaps enquire? as you would be a half-sibling.

Link

Due to the sensitive nature of stillbirth registrations, only the mother or father of the child is able to apply for a certificate. The parent must be named on the birth certificate to do this. Should the parents be deceased, a brother or sister can apply if they can provide their parents’ dates of death.