A coroner has warned against a type of medication that can be used to treat migraines during pregnancy after the death of a four-day-old baby.
On 13 November 2024 in Sunderland, Baby Avery Hall, died with lung damage, low oxygen levels and reduced blood flow – complications known to arise when prescription drug Candesartan is used throughout pregnancy, particularly in the second and third trimester.
Avery’s development in pregnancy was compromised by reduced amniotic fluid, leading to poor lung development and impairment of urine production by the kidneys.
His mother was prescribed Candesartan, a medication that relaxes blood vessels, to treat her recurring migraines before she became pregnant.
But in April 2024 when she fell pregnant, doctors gave her “unclear and indecisive advice”, and she was not told specifically to stop using Candesartan, despite the known risks.
David Place, a senior coroner for the City of Sunderland, issued a prevention of future deaths report on Monday. He concluded that Avery died from complications known to arise when Candesartan is used throughout pregnancy and that “action should have been taken”.
“His mother had continued to use this medication which had been prescribed to her since 2022 being unaware of the risks it posed due to a combination of unclear and indecisive advice at the outset and no additional advice about the safety of the medication from clinicians involved in her antenatal care,” Mr Place said.
Source: The Independent, 3 February 2026
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