Prague
Hospital performs abortion on wrong pregnant woman
The tragic mix-up of pregnant women happened in the Bulovka clinic in Prague
© Pond5 Images / Imago Images
In a clinic in the Czech capital Prague, expectant parents are experiencing a nightmare. A pregnant woman shows up for a routine check-up – and is mistaken for an abortion patient.
After a pregnant woman was mistakenly given an abortion, a hospital in… Prague apologized to those affected and their family. “This should never have happened,” Bulovka hospital director Jan Kvacek said on Thursday. The woman is receiving psychological help and is entitled to legal assistance and compensation. The woman had actually only come for a routine check-up, but was confused with another patient who was supposed to come in for a uterine scraping.
Prague clinic speaks of “language barrier” and individual mistakes
An initial investigation showed that the existing control mechanisms failed due to human error on the part of individuals, said Kvacek. He ruled out a systematic problem. One employee was suspended and another was placed under professional supervision. According to the clinic management, a “language barrier” also contributed to the mix-up not being recognized in time. Both patients were therefore foreigners of Asian origin with permanent residence in the Czech Republic.
The Bulovka Clinic is one of several large teaching hospitals in the Czech capital and is one of the busiest healthcare facilities in the country. It employs more than 2,000 people and has almost 1,000 beds. Every year around 600,000 outpatients and around 38,000 inpatients are cared for there.