Shocking negligence at Tamil Nadu hospital as baby's head comes off during childbirth

Mar 21, 2019, 10:58 AM IST

Kanchipuram: A shocking case of medical apathy has come to light from Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram where a nurse allegedly conducted a delivery and pulled the baby's head out of the birth canal, leaving the torso inside the mother's womb.

The woman, identified as Bommi, went into labour while at her maternal home. She was brought to a public health centre in Koovathur. 

According to relatives of the woman, the hospital staff removed only the baby's head while its torso was still stuck in the uterus.

The woman was then rushed to another hospital in Chengalpattu where an emergency surgery was performed. 

Doctors at the hospital were able to remove the torso of the baby during the surgery and were able to save the woman’s life.

In the meantime, the relatives of the woman have alleged negligence on the part of staff members at the public health centre in Koovathur. 

Relatives allege that since a doctor was not available, a nurse performed the delivery instead of referring the woman to another hospital. 

Sources from the health department, however, have stated that the delivery was conducted in a state of emergency, adding that initial reports suggested that an intrauterine death (IUD) had occurred.

A similar incident took place in Rajasthan in January. A male nurse from Rajasthan was accused of decapitating a baby during childbirth by the use of excess force when the child was being pushed out of the birth canal.