Failed Sterilisation

When she was 39 years old, Emma and her husband felt their family was complete and decided upon a sterilisation.

They had one child together, and also cared for three children from Emma’s first marriage. She and her husband felt happy with the size of their family, and it was decided Emma should undergo a sterilisation procedure. This was supported by Emma’s GP who believed her high blood pressure would make another pregnancy dangerous.

In January 2008, Emma was admitted to hospital for the sterilisation. She was told it was a simple procedure to be performed by laparoscopy, meaning recovery time would be shorter. However, Emma was not informed of any potential risks, nor was she told that contraceptive methods were still necessary until her next menstrual cycle. Instead, she was advised the procedure would work straight away, and she could return to having sexual intercourse whenever she felt well enough.

After the operation Emma was told it had gone well, and she returned to her job as a secretary. Three months later, however, she began to present symptoms similar to those she had experienced during pregnancy. She took a test, which revealed she was in fact pregnant. Emma and her husband were devastated by the news, as they believed they were unable to conceive another child.

Emma and her husband discussed the situation at length, and came to the difficult decision they did not want another child. A termination was agreed upon, as they felt they had no other choice. Subsequently, Emma underwent a termination and another sterilisation as the first was found to have failed.

This had a damaging effect on Emma’s psychological well-being, as she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt regarding the termination. This was made worse by the fact she had to keep it a secret from her children, as Emma believes they would not have forgiven her had they known the truth. As a result she began to feel increasingly depressed and became unable to leave the house. This is had a detrimental impact on her relationship with her husband, particularly as Emma became reluctant to have sex in case the second sterilisation also failed.

Understandably, Emma was upset about the level of care she received and contacted Glynns to see what action she could take. We investigated her case and discovered she had been the victim of negligent treatment. Medical staff carrying out the sterilisation failed to apply the Filshie clip correctly to the fallopian tube. Furthermore, they failed to undertake immediate post-operative checks to ensure the procedure was successful (such as taking photographs or performing an HSG scan).

As a result of this negligence Emma suffered psychological injuries from terminating an unplanned pregnancy, and had to undergo a second sterilisation procedure. Glynns helped settle her medical negligence claim, and she was awarded £7,500 compensation.

» BACK TO Failed Vasectomy/Sterilisation Section

7 QUESTIONS YOU MUST ASK BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE SOLICITOR - DOWNLOAD NOW!

We understand that if you are contemplating making a claim for medical negligence, or even just considering your options at this stage, that you will have many questions.

The Guide

The guide is designed to answer all of the common questions we hear so often and to help with the stress and worry you might have. The guide covers the following issues:

• What Is Medical Negligence?
• Do You Need To Complain To The Hospital Or GP?
• Should You Use A Claims Company Or A Solicitor?
• Choosing The Right Business To Help You
• What Will It Cost You?
• What If I Need More Treatment - Who Will Pay?
• Will Claiming Lose The Surgeon Or GP Their Job?

We hope the guide answers most of the concerns someone considering making a claim has, and it is free for you to download. Simply complete your details below and the guide will instantly be emailed to you.