Woman expects ovaries to be removed, learns she is pregnant

On Behalf of | Jun 24, 2014 | Failure To Diagnose

A 25-year-old woman who had suffered painful stomach cramps for months was scheduled to have her ovaries removed. However, during her surgery, doctors found shocking news that essentially accounted for why she had endured so much pain in the preceding months.

She was pregnant, and had a nine-pound baby boy who was ready to be delivered. The woman apparently did not realize she was pregnant, and had not any prenatal care. Additionally, she was resigned to the possibility of not having children at all, since the advice given to alleviate the cramps to was to have her ovaries removed. 

Also puzzling was how the pregnancy was missed. After all, the baby was ready to be born when it was discovered. In the months before the birth, the woman had taken several home pregnancy tests, in addition to hospital blood tests and scans to determine what was wrong. Although the true nature of why the pregnancy was missed was not disclosed, doctors believe that since the child was lodged tightly along the woman’s spine, this could have confused doctors who were not even looking for the child.

While the story is a miracle, it is an example of how physicians’ mistakes can lead to medical disasters. It is fortunate for this woman to have a healthy child, but things could have been worse. Ultimately, doctors have a duty to act with reasonable care towards patients and if they fail to do so, the breach of such a duty could lead to a lawsuit. 

Source: Medicaldaily.com “Woman has surgery to remove ovaries, doctors find a nine pound baby inside, “ Dana Dovey, June 17, 201 

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