Horror in Prague: A hospital aborted the baby of the wrong mother

A hospital in Prague performed a curettage abortion procedure on the wrong woman due to what is being described as a tragic consequence of a language barrier. 

It was reported that on the 25th of March an expectant mother attended Bulovka University Hospital for a routine scan, but a series of events meant the woman was mistaken for another patient, resulting in the death of her unborn child. 

The woman was put under anaesthesia and a D&C curettage procedure intended for the other patient was preformed on her without her knowledge.  

Local news reported that both patients were non-nationals living in the Czech Republic long-term, and that poor understanding of the local language as well as staff negligence  had contributed to the incident. 

It has also been reported that both women are of Asian decent.

Spokesperson for Bulkova University, Eva Stolejda Libigerová, told CNN Prima News that the “adverse event occurred at our Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic.”

She said that according to investigation to date the incident took place “as a result of serious violations and non-compliance with internal regulations by the employees concerned, an operation was started on an incorrectly identified patient,”

It was reported that the staff involved in the incident have been suspended pending police investigation into the incident and that compensation has been offered to the mother whose baby was lost. 

David Marx, chair of the Czech Society for Quality in Healthcare said that, “The goal must be to do a root analysis, identify the causes, and set a process so that this never happens again,” 

Gynecologist and vice-chairman of the Czech Medical Chamber Jan Přáda said that the blame should not fall on the doctor who carried out the abortion saying, “The main problem is that she [the mother of the baby that was aborted in error ]even got to the operating table,”

He said that a Czech-speaking patient would probably “actively resist the fact that she is going to undergo a procedure with which she does not understand.”

The baby was 16-weeks gestation (four months) at the time of the incident with Přáda arguing that it may have been the case that the surgeon who performed the abortion procedure did not know the woman was pregnant as it is possible that no ultrasound was done. 

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Fatima Gunning

  

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This article was first published on Gript and is printed here with permission

  

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