MEDICS were unaware a woman who bled to death hours after giving birth had a disorder which meant her blood did not clot properly, an inquest was told.

Diane Patt, 34, lost five litres of blood in a massive haemorrhage after the birth of her second child at Colchester General Hospital in September 2011.

Staff admitted failing to replace lost blood.

The second day of an inquest into her death was told medics had not known Mrs Patt had a Factor XI defficiency, a form of haemophilia, which hampered her ability form clots to stop bleeding.

Dr Lajos Zsisku, the consultant anaesthetist on the night, offered his heartfelt condolences to relatives at the inquest.

He went on to admit: “I would feel much more comfortable if I had given more blood.”

Mrs Patt, a police constable, based in Colchester, gave birth to her baby daughter with the aid of a suction device called a ventouse, at 8.20pm on September 18, 2011, after a failed forceps delivery.

Problems arose afterwards, when staff noted she was suffering “torrential bleeding”.

At the time, they estimated she had lost about 2.4 litres of blood.

In fact, she had lost more than twice that amount.

She was pronounced dead at 11.57pm and a post-mortem examination showed the cause of death as cardiac arrest, caused by massive blood loss.

The coroner was told plenty of suitable blood had been available, but Mrs Patt had been given just one litre, plus other fluids.

Dr Mayada Younis said she had raised concerns in the operating theatre, telling other medics she needed more blood.

However, Dr James Pennington, anaesthetic registrar, admitted he had ignored Dr Younis’s concerns, because blood loss was often overestimated.

He added: “I found it difficult to believe the volumes being discussed, given how the patient was.

“I am very aware the estimation of blood-loss during post-delivery is extremely difficult, but it is often over-estimated. There are also risks from each blood transfusion and of over-transfusion.”

Her husband, Sgt Maj Jason Patt, of 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery, was in court to hear the evidence, alongside other members of the family.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray is expected to hear a third day of evidence before ruling on Mrs Patt’s death next month.