A 40-year-old patient is in her 35th week of pregnancy after undergoing curettage at the Sumaré State Hospital and discovering after the procedure that she was still pregnant — Photo: Clausio Tavoloni/EPTV
A 40-year-old woman, in the 35th week of pregnancy, reports the lack of medical follow-up at the Sumaré State Hospital (HES) after discovering that she remained pregnant despite having undergone curettage at the unit. The patient had been diagnosed with a pregnancy without an embryo in February.
This is the second case involving patients who remained pregnant after undergoing uterine cleansing at the same state hospital. In August, a resident discovered her baby alive a month after being diagnosed with a miscarriage.
➡️ Uterine curettage is a surgical procedure that consists of scraping the uterus with a specific instrument. This procedure is performed to remove material from the inside of the uterus in certain obstetric situations.
In a statement, the Sumaré State Hospital regretted what happened and reported that an investigation is underway to investigate the team's conduct related to the patient's care. According to the unit, if irregularities are found, appropriate measures will be taken.
Regarding the case reported in August, the hospital reported that the investigation has not yet been completed.
False diagnosis
The patient's story began in February. She underwent a private ultrasound exam on the 19th and the report indicated a "non-evolutionary topical pregnancy", a condition in which there is no embryonic formation.
Referred to the Sumaré State Hospital, the woman reports that she underwent new tests that confirmed the problem.
"They said that the pregnancy hadn't really progressed because the gestational sac was too big. They asked for an ultrasound to be sure before the procedure and it was found again that there was no embryo", he recalls.
In the early hours of February 25, she underwent uterine curettage under anesthesia. The hospital discharge summary recorded that the procedure was “without complications”.
The doctor in charge advised the patient to resume her normal routine and the strong medications she used before pregnancy.
Baby survived
Despite being discharged, the patient continued to experience intense pain and cramps in the following weeks. Concerned, her mother suggested a new evaluation at the Campinas Maternity Hospital, 19 days after the curettage.
During the new ultrasound, the medical team was surprised to find a fetus with a normal heartbeat.
"When the ultrasound was done, my heart was beating, I started crying. The doctor told me to stay calm", says the mother.
The examination concluded that she was approximately seven weeks and three days pregnant.
When she returned to the Sumaré State Hospital to report what had happened, she says that the doctor on duty had expressed "shock" at the news.
According to the pregnant woman, he questioned what had been done to her in the surgical center and the professional classified the girl's survival as a "miracle".
After that, she says that the doctor ordered the immediate start of high-risk prenatal care at the unit, due to the trauma of the surgery and the patient's history of prematurity.
Sumaré State Hospital — Photo: HES/UNICAMP
Lack of assistance
Despite the severity of the case, the patient states that follow-up at the outpatient clinic has been insufficient. She reports that she is seen by different doctors at each visit, in consultations that last just a few minutes. The situation worsened after August 26th, the date of the last face-to-face meeting.
Since then, the patient reports suffering from successive cancellations of appointments under the justification of a lack of doctors.
The situation generated panic when she was in a car accident, hit her head and suffered bleeding, but was left sitting in the unit and advised to look for an Emergency Care Unit (UPA).
During a high-risk pregnancy, the patient points out the following problems faced in the state network:
Cancellations of appointments days before the scheduled date;
Lack of medical guidance on the use of medicines for anemia, which cause strong adverse reactions;
Impersonal service and lack of transparency from the medical team.
Now, in the final stretch of the pregnancy, the expectation of the girl's birth is mixed with fear.
"When I feel pain and have to go to the hospital, where will I go? The fear of returning to a hospital where a very serious mistake was made. But my greatest joy is having her. It's my miracle", concludes the mother.
When questioned, the Sumaré State Hospital informed that the patient is undergoing prenatal care and a consultation will be held next Wednesday.
