A woman from Dorset suffering with mental health problems has given birth to a baby boy - but will not be allowed to keep him - after a judge gave specialists the go-ahead to perform a caesarean section.

Mrs Justice Lieven decided that the woman, who has schizophrenia and is being cared for in a specialist unit in the county, did not have the mental capacity to make decisions about birth options.

At a ruling on June 10 the judge concluded that allowing the woman, who is in her late 30s, to give birth naturally would be too risky, and said a planned caesarean would be a better option.

The judge was told by lawyers that social services staff planned to remove the baby from the woman’s care at birth.

Yesterday, in a written ruling on the case which has been published online, Mrs Justice Lieven said that the woman had given birth to a boy who was “doing well.”

She said the woman had “engaged” with medical staff and had not needed to be subjected to any restraint.

The judge, who is based in London, had made a decision a week ago after considering the woman’s case at an online hearing in the Court of Protection, where issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to take decisions are analysed.

She said the woman could not be identified in media reports of the case.

Bosses at two NHS trusts – the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and the Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust – have responsibility for the woman’s care and had asked the judge to decide what moves were in her best interests.

Mrs Justice Lieven heard from barrister Emma Sutton, who represented the two trusts, and barrister Katie Gollop QC, who represented the woman.

The judge was told that the woman was not well enough to care for a baby at present.

She said she hoped the woman would be able to have a relationship with the child in future.