Post Natal Removal of Afterbirth
Post Natal Removal of Afterbirth by D&C can cause Ashermans Syndrome: pain, no periods and infertility.
Ashermans Syndrome is considered rare but it is not. It can occur in 30% of D&C procedures.
Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus. Doctors perform dilation and curettage to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions — such as heavy bleeding — or to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion. Ashermans can occur after polyp of fibroid removal.
D&C for retained products
Injuries were sustained during post-natal removal of afterbirth via a D&C. This was to remove part of the afterbirth which had not expelled naturally. During the operation, which had been performed by an inexperienced doctor, the uterus was punctured twice, cervix injured by dilation and some endometrium wrongly removed. Although some of the damage was repaired, secondary amenorrhea developed and multiple adhesions developed in the uterus. Asherman’s Syndrome was diagnosed which led to two miscarriages and finally a hysterectomy.
In this case the Judge awarded damages under three heads of (a) infertility; (b) physical pain and suffering from the hysterectomy, the laparotomy, two hysteroscopies, the laparoscopy, the division of the interuterine adhesions and from her persistent intermittent lower abdominal pain, and (c) scarring. The court stated that a hysterectomy performed on a young woman was a most serious injury.
Since the trial, the claimant had undergone a further laparotomy, further division of adhesions and now had a bigger scar than before. She had been hospitalised for six days and suffered a great deal of pain and had subsequently been operated on to remove her ovaries, additional adhesions and a cyst. Her marriage had deteriorated under the strain and she was still undergoing investigative surgery.
The woman in this case was awarded £110,000 compensation but nothing can compensate for the harrowing ordeal that she went through.
Where to get help
Ashermans is not a rare event. It is often undiagnosed and presents as painful monthly periods with or without bleeding and infertility. If you are struggling to conceive and have had a D&C in the past speak to your gynaecologoist. Consider if you have adhesions which impact on your ability to get pregnant or to keep a pregnancy. Repeat miscarriage is often a sign of Ashermans.
If you need advice about a possible claim then get in touch with Dr Victoria Handley for FREE on 0800 470 2009 or email vhandley@handleylaw.co.uk