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Dh500,000 compensation for couple as unborn baby dies because of medical negligence

Ras Al Khaimah - As per court records, the case unfolded when the woman approached a private hospital for a regular check-up.

An Arab couple was awarded Dh500,000 as compensation after they lost their unborn baby because of medical negligence. The Ras Al Khaimah Civil Court ordered the consultant gynaecologist involved and the private hospital to pay the damages for the foetal death.
As per court records, the case unfolded when the woman approached a private hospital for a regular check-up.
The gynaecologist, the defendant, ordered her to be hospitalised because of high blood sugar level.
The patient told the doctor that her parents suffer from high blood sugar, but the latter failed to take the right procedure and did not refer her to an endocrinologist.
"Though I requested a urine blood sugar test, the gynaecologist decided that the high percentage of blood sugar reported was not an issue and had no health risk on me or my foetus."
The woman's blood sugar kept rising and reached a critical level as she suffered severe headache and developed swelling in her legs.
She went to the emergency section where a diabetic specialist examined her and prescribed an insulin dose and another medicine until the end of her pregnancy.
Two months later, the woman was told that her foetus was fine based on the sonar scan she undertook. However, she discovered that her foetus was dead when she got ready for her Caesarean delivery.
The couple lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, requesting an investigation into the medical negligence that ended in the foetal death.
The ministry formed a medical committee, which reported that the woman had been suffering from high blood sugar in her initial pregnancy months, and the gynaecologist concerned was supposed to admit her to the hospital for monitoring her blood sugar, but she did not.
The medical report also indicated that the woman did not receive due medical care and her nine-month foetus could have been saved if the gynaecologist and the hospital had done the right procedure.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com