A baby boy died at just three days old after suffering a catastrophic loss of oxygen caused by a rare placental abnormality, an inquest has heard.
Arlo James Maudsley-Dewhurst was born at Burnley General Hospital on July 28, 2025, after his mother was induced early because growth scans had suggested he was a large baby.
The inquest heard that labour initially progressed quickly, with Arlo's mother experiencing "very quick contractions" before developing "urgent, significant bleeding".
Doctors carried out an emergency Caesarean section to deliver Arlo, who was described in the medical evidence as being "very unwell at birth".
An examination of the placenta later showed a velamentous cord insertion, a rare condition in which the umbilical cord attaches abnormally to the placenta.
The finding was identified as the cause of Arlo's mother's haemorrhage.
Following his birth, Arlo underwent intensive treatment, including hypothermic cooling, but the medical evidence stated that he "did not recover".
As his condition deteriorated and there was no prospect of recovery, clinicians reoriented his treatment to palliative care.
The report noted that Arlo died "in the arms of his parents" on July 31, 2025.
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Recording her conclusion, the coroner found that Arlo died as a consequence of "multiple organ failure caused by hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy as a result of velamentous cord insertion".
The hearing was told that the placental abnormality resulted in a significant reduction in oxygen supply, causing severe brain injury and organ damage from which Arlo was unable to recover.
The conclusion recorded his medical cause of death as multiple organ failure due to hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy resulting from velamentous cord insertion.
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