Autopsy finds gown fabric, gauze in abdomen of pregnant woman who died during treatment at Gurugram hospital

A medical board constituted to examine the death of a five-months pregnant 28-year-old patient – whose husband filed a police complaint alleging medical negligence – found in its preliminary findings that foreign objects, including part of a medical gown and a strip of gauze, were recovered from her abdomen, officials said on Monday

A medical board constituted to examine the death of a five-months pregnant 28-year-old patient – whose husband filed a police complaint alleging medical negligence – found in its preliminary findings that foreign objects, including part of a medical gown and a strip of gauze, were recovered from her abdomen, officials said on Monday.

The board of doctors Deepak Mathur, Tony Jowel and Sarita Chaudhary performed the autopsy on Monday evening and recovered the upper part of a blue gown and a medical gauze from inside the abdomen, suspected to have been put inside in a desperate attempt to stop bleeding at the last moment.

Dr Mathur said preliminary findings indicate the patient died of excessive bleeding. “Timely treatment to stop the bleeding would have saved the life of the victim. Foreign objects were recovered from the victim’s abdomen which should not had been there at any cost. They have been preserved as exhibits and will be handed over to the police for further investigation,” he said.

He added that all findings, along with the post-mortem report, will be submitted to the district medical negligence board chaired by the chief medical officer for scrutiny.

Dr Uma Verma, medical superintendent of ESIC Hospital, said whatever the autopsy findings are, they are facts. “I don’t think any further reaction is needed on the entire matter,” she added.

The case pertains to Manju, 28, a customer relationship manager in Sector-18 who lived in Sheetala colony, Sector-5, with her husband Manoj Kumar, 30. Five months pregnant, she developed abdominal pain on Friday and soon began bleeding, her family said. She was taken to ESIC hospital in Sector-9A by 1.30am on Saturday, where doctors removed the dead foetus, but bleeding continued, her family alleged.

She was taken for an emergency surgical procedure on Sunday morning.

Manoj told HT that the doctors called him inside the operation room when he found that Manju was unresponsive. “Nurses and doctors were attempting blood transfusion when I entered the operation theatre,” he said.

“They referred her to higher centre after which I and my in-laws rushed her to a private hospital in Palam Vihar by 10.30am. However, after reaching there, doctors told us that my wife was already dead,” he said.

Manoj said he has filed a police complaint alleging medical negligence. “I have filed a police complaint … I want to ensure that no other family should get destroyed in such a way due to a doctor’s negligence again,” he said.

Parveen Malik, assistant commissioner of police (Old Gurugram), said an FIR will be registered once the five-member medical negligence board submits its report affirming negligence. “Even after recovery of the torn gown and gauze from the woman’s abdomen in autopsy, all legal steps need to be followed as per law in such cases,” he said.