( CNN ) -- The death of an Indian dentist who died after a miscarriage in an Irish hospital was the result of medical misadventure , an inquest jury ruled Friday . Savita Halappanavar , 31 , was 17 weeks pregnant when she died in October at University Hospital Galway . The inquest jury heard seven days of evidence from staff and expert witnesses , as well as her widower , Praveen Halappanavar . A pathologist , Professor Grace Callagy , told the inquest the cause of death was septic shock , E. Coli in Savita Halappanavar 's bloodstream and a miscarriage . In his evidence , a leading obstetrician said Halappanavar 's life could have been saved had a termination been carried out a day or two before her miscarriage . However , Dr. Peter Boylan admitted it would not have been practical under Irish law , which states there has to be a real and substantial risk to the mother 's life . The coroner , Dr. Ciaran MacLoughlin , on Friday directed jurors at Galway Coroner 's Court to consider carefully the verdict and his recommendations , including that Ireland 's Medical Council should lay out exactly when doctors can intervene to save the life of a mother . The jury unanimously returned the misadventure verdict and `` strongly endorsed '' his recommendations . MacLoughlin told the dentist 's husband : `` The whole of Ireland has followed your story and I want , on their behalf , to offer our deepest sympathy . '' Outside the court , Praveen Halappanavar said he still had not got all the answers but would `` get to the bottom of the truth . '' Somebody has to take responsibility for his wife 's death , he said . He told reporters that the way Savita had been treated in the hospital was `` horrendous , barbaric and inhuman . '' Friday was particularly poignant as it would have been the couple 's fifth wedding anniversary , he added . In his evidence last week , Praveen Halappananvar said that he had been told an abortion could not be done while the fetus was still alive because Ireland is a Catholic country . The couple were married in India before moving to Ireland , where they had lived for four years before Savita 's death . 'System failures ' Giving evidence last week , consultant Dr. Katherine Astbury , who treated Halappanavar , denied saying an abortion could not be carried out `` because Ireland is a Catholic country . '' But she acknowledged that she felt constrained by Irish law , which does not permit a termination even if there is no prospect of the fetus surviving . Astbury also admitted that there were `` system failures '' in Halappanavar 's care . For example , Astbury had not been made aware of blood test abnormalities and an infection , she said . A midwife at Galway hospital , Ann Maria Burke , apologized in her evidence for telling Halappanavar a termination would not be possible `` because Ireland is a Catholic country . '' She said the comment was not meant to be hurtful . Halappanavar went into the hospital on October 21 , complaining of back pain . Three days after the request for a termination was made , the fetus died and was removed . Four days later , Savita died of a blood infection . An inquest by a coroner is standard procedure in cases of sudden , unexplained or unnatural deaths in Ireland . READ MORE : Husband testifies his wife died after abortion was denied in Ireland . READ MORE : If Ireland had abortion rights .
Inquest held in Galway returns cause of death by medical misadventure . Savita Halappanavar , 49 , died last October after suffering a stroke . Coroner offers Ireland 's ` ` deepest sympathy '' to Savita 's widower , Ravi . He says his wife 's death in hospital was ` ` horrendous , barbaric and inhuman ''