Probe launched as doctor dies hours after giving birth to stillborn baby

Dr Fiona Agnew, 38, suffered a “sudden and unexpected death” at Forth Valley Hospital the day after the delivery of her second child, Isla Elspeth.

Dr Agnew worked as a doctor in a GP surgery in Bo’ness and lived with her partner Craig Stobo and son Robert in Edinburgh.

A funeral is due to be held for mother and daughter on Friday.

Mr Stobo, a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCooper, has declined to speak about the double tragedy. Dr Agnew’s parents, Douglas and Elspeth, live in Stenhousemuir and she has twin brothers, Colin and Murray.

The family is to set up a trust in memory of Dr Agnew, to fun research into hospital superinfections, but it is understood Dr Agnew did not die as a result of such a condition.

A spokeswoman for the Forth Valley NHS Trust said: “Friends of the family have spoken of their shock on learning about the deaths of mother and child.”

She said an internal review would be held.

“If there’s any kind of maternal sudden death a review is carried out as a matter of course.”

Irene Rodger, a neighbour of Dr Agnew’s parents, said: “I’ve known the family for about 40 years. Fiona has been away from here for a while.

“I’ve not seen her or her family for a wee while. They lived in Edinburgh and were busy with work. I’m really quite shocked with what’s happened. They’re a lovely family, the children are the same age as mine and they used to play with them when they were younger. She was always a happy girl, just a lovely person. It’s hard to take in.”

A spokesman for PricewaterhouseCooper said Mr Stobo would soon be establishing the trust in memory of Dr Agnew,

The baby girl will earlier have been laid to rest in a private ceremony for family only.

A funeral service is planned for St Stephen’s Church, Comely Bank, on Friday at 11.30am, followed by a private committal at Dean cemetery.

The family has requested family flowers only and donations to be made to the trust.