'New mums need to be given better health education' Published duration 15 November 2018

image caption George Roach says grief for his wife Michelle "fills every part" of his life

New mothers need more education about the dangers of pulmonary embolisms, according to a man whose wife died six weeks after giving birth.

Michelle Roach, from Bracknell, died from a blocked blood vessel in her lung in 2014.

A coroner ruled on Friday that both a GP and hospital staff had missed opportunities to treat Mrs Roach

Her husband George Roach told the BBC mothers needed to be given more education after giving birth.

He said: "I don't think new mothers are given enough information about what a pulmonary embolism is, the signs and symptoms to look for.

"Women are leaving hospital and they are never told about it, they don't know about it, they don't know what to look for."

image copyright HANDOUT image caption Mrs Roach died six weeks after the birth of her daughter McKenzie-Lee

Mrs Roach, who had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and asthma, gave birth to her first child, McKenzie-Lee on 17 December 2013.

Six weeks later, she collapsed and died following two cardiac arrests in the Royal Berkshire Hospital's A&E department.

Mr Roach said: "People say grief fades over time, it's rubbish, it doesn't.

"It fills every part of your life, the whole lot, it touches everything."

At an inquest last week, coroner Heidi Connor ruled GP and hospital staff had lost "vital hours" to save Mrs Roach.

Mr Roach said he had refused to "live in anger" and focused on bringing up the couple's daughter, who is now five years old.

"You can fall into bitterness and anger, I did go through a lot of that, I don't have it any more," he said.

"With a five year old, moving forward in general, I can't stay there. I have to think there is something different now so we have to move in that direction.

"Kenzie knows who her mum was. I decided not to hide it from her, so she knows her mum died, she knows her mum has gone to heaven."