Imogen Petrak's toddler may have passed on the infection that killed her.

Imogen Petrak died just hours after giving birth to her premature daughter, Eleanor, earlier this month.

The Gold Coast woman had presented at the hospital with an ear infection, but the doctors soon discovered that bacteria had travelled to her brain, causing what they described as “catastrophic brain damage”.

The medical staff were able to deliver little Eleanor through an emergency cesarean, but sadly, Imogen did not survive.

Following her death, Imogen’s husband, John, wrote on Facebook, “Every single plan we had… erased. She was my help, and now she’s gone”.

And now in another cruel twist of fate, it seems like the infection that killed Imogen could have been passed onto her by her unvaccinated toddler.

According to the Daily Telegraph, blood tests have confirmed the 36-year-old mum-of-two died from pneumococcal meningitis type 19F.

This type of pneumococcal meningitis is actually covered by the pneumococcal vaccine, but Imogen's 17-month-old son, JB, was not vaccinated and he had been unwell in the days leading up to his mother's death.

The vaccine is on the National Vaccination Scheme and babies should receive the vaccine at two, four and six months.

In 2004, there were 154 deaths from pneumococcal disease and in 2005, the vaccine was introduced for children.

Since then the death rate in children has dramatically decreased, but some deaths still occur in older people who have not been immunised.

According to Better Health Victoria, pneumococcal disease can spread between people through infected droplets in the air and through touch.

Imogen's husband, John, took little Eleanor home on July 21, he wrote on Facebook: “I miss my wife so much. Every single plan we had is just erased".