LI LIYUN, a pregnant woman who died in a Beijing hospital after her de facto husband refused a Caesarean section for her, would have died even if the hospital had performed the surgery, the Beijing health bureau said Wednesday.

"If the hospital carried out a Caesarean section, the baby might have been saved, but the mother could not have survived anyway," Deng Xiaohong, a spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, said at a press conference,

Announcing the results of the bureau's investigation into the incident, Deng said Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing, where 22-year-old Li died, should not be held responsible, as the hospital had acted according to the law.

"Li had been seriously ill for more than 10 days before she was taken to Chaoyang Hospital on Nov. 21 and she died on the same day after Xiao Zhijun, biological father of the baby, refuse to consent to the operation," Deng said.

"Though Xiao and Li hadn't married, Xiao had acted in the role of Li's relative. So the hospital then does not bear any responsibility," Deng said.

"The death of Li is an extreme example and doesn't mean the law has loopholes," Li said.

Li, who was about to deliever, was taken to Chaoyang Hospital by Xiao after she experienced contraction pains and showed symptoms of heart failure. Xiao was told by doctors that his wife was in critical condition and needed an immediate Caesarean operation.

However, Xiao refused to consent to the operation despite hospital authorities attempts to persuade him. The hospital authorities were unable to reach any other relatives of Li Liyun at the time.

Li died along with a baby three hours later and her death has shocked the public.

Li's parents decided to take the Beijing hospital to court earlier this week.

(Liu Minxia)