A Bahraini court has ordered a celebrated doctor and his private hospital to pay a couple BD30,000 in compensation, a stark verdict stemming from a medical error that shattered a woman’s dream of motherhood and nearly cost her life.
The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) confirmed the error and informed the court that during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure, three embryos were implanted in the woman’s uterus, followed by a risky intervention meant to improve their chances of survival. But tragedy struck in the third month of pregnancy.
The woman’s uterus ruptured, throwing her into a desperate fight for survival. Rushed to Salmaniya Medical Complex, she endured multiple surgeries, ultimately losing her uterus. This harrowing ordeal fuelled a legal battle, seeking justice for the medical error that stole her child and her womb.
The court’s verdict painted a damning picture. It lambasted the doctor for failing to inform the patient about the dangers of repeated pregnancies and for his egregious oversight—missing the telltale signs of a miscarriage.
Life at grave risk
“The physician’s misdiagnosis of the miscarriage during the patient’s visit put her life at grave risk,” the court ruling stated, sharply criticizing the doctor’s failure to recognize the minor vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain that ultimately led to the uterine rupture.
The court awarded the woman BD25,000 for the physical and psychological trauma she endured, while her husband received BD5,000 in recognition of the emotional torment he witnessed. This verdict stands as a stark reminder of the immense responsibility healthcare professionals carry and the devastating consequences that can befall when that duty falters.
For this couple, the BD30,000 cannot mend the shattered pieces of their dreams. But the decision by the Court of Cassation delivers a powerful message: in the face of medical error, justice, however imperfect, can prevail.
