Countess faced higher risks
13 April 2012
Doctors would have been well aware of the Countess's increased risk of complications following her ectopic pregnancy in 2001.
Women who are technically infertile - taking more than a year to conceive - have a significantly higher chance of giving birth by emergency Caesarean and having a premature delivery of a low-weight baby. An unplanned Caesarean is normally carried out because of potentially fatal complications to the mother and baby.
It is possible that the Countess of Wessex's labour started prematurely at 36 weeks. Babies born at 37 weeks or before are classified as premature and are often transferred to a neo-natal unit for surveillance.
