The Health Service Executive (HSE) is to carry out a review of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of a mother and her newborn child after complications developed following childbirth yesterday.
The 34-year-old died in the early hours of the morning after giving birth to twins by Caesarean section at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth.
One of her twins died soon after birth and the other baby is in a critical condition.The mother was being treated as an in-patient for several days prior to giving birth.
The woman, who was married with a young child, was working as a Garda sergeant on the northside of Dublin.
She was living with her family in Drogheda.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors yesterday expressed its sympathy to her family.
"Every member of the association and indeed of the entire Garda Síochána has been shocked and traumatised by this extremely sad event and our hearts go out to her husband and family. Our thoughts are with them in their time of terrible tragedy," said association general secretary Joe Dirwan.
The HSE also offered its sympathy to the family and said the hospital will give the family every assistance and support required.
A spokeswoman said: "As is normal practice, a full review of the circumstances surrounding the deaths will be carried out and the coroner has been notified."
Deaths as a result of childbirth in Ireland are rare, with just 16 recorded between 1997 and 2004, according to the Central Statistics Office.
No deaths in childbirth were recorded in 2003.
Statistically, mothers of twins are at higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy such as birth haemorrhage, pregnancy-related high blood pressure and miscarriage.
While the issue of downgrading of maternity services has been a controversial matter in areas of the northeast such as Co Monaghan, HSE sources insisted yesterday that staffing levels and resources were not an issue in Our Lady of Lourdes.
The hospital is one of the two main maternity units in the northeast of the country.