MOTHER'S DEATH RULED AS NATURAL; POSTPARTUM BLEEDING TO BLAME, CORONER SAYS.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

The death of a 37-year-old city employee, hours after giving birth to her second child, was ruled a result of natural causes in findings released this month in a Los Angeles County coroner's autopsy.

Elizabeth Ackerman's death, as a consequence of postpartum hemorrhaging, was deemed not to be due to an accident - a broad category that would include medical malpractice - or as a result of foul play or suicide, said coroner's spokesman Scott Carrier.

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy found the underlying causes behind the Valencia woman's death to be cardiomyopathy, or diseased muscle tissues of the heart; hepatomegaly, an enlarged liver; and coagulopathy, a disorder of the blood making clotting difficult, Carrier said.

``She had problems with coagulation, probably associated with an amniotic fluid embolism,'' Carrier said. An embolism is an obstruction in a blood vessel.

The results were released July 2; Ackerman died May 4 at Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

Ackerman, who worked in the graphics division at Santa Clarita City Hall, is survived by her husband, Neil, 34; their 3-year-old son, Matthew; and newborn daughter, Katelyn Elizabeth.

Hospital officials have said Ackerman hemorrhaged after delivering her 8-pound 15-ounce daughter about 2:15 a.m. May 4 and died about 6:45 a.m. Coroner's medical examiners completed an autopsy a few days later, but held off stating a cause of death until forensic pathologists could review her medical records.

Ackerman had a trouble-free pregnancy and labor, family members and friends said. She gave birth and died a week before Mother's Day.

The hospital conducted an internal review of the case.