A patient mix-up led to doctors performing an abortion on the wrong woman at a Prague hospital, according to reports.
Medics blamed a “language barrier” for the unwanted termination on a foreign expectant mother who was four months pregnant.
The horror happened at Bulovka University Hospital when the woman attended what she thought would be a routine check-up on March 25.
But instead of a regular examination, she underwent a curettage - a surgical cleaning of the uterus - without consent or knowledge.
Nurses, doctors, a gynaecologist and an anesthesiologist failed to notice the error when she was put under anaesthesia intended for another patient, who was also a foreigner.
Following the devastating procedure, the woman miscarried.
According to Radio Prague International, police said they were treating the matter as a case of bodily harm.
Staff responsible for the tragic incident have been suspended. The hospital is investigating it as gross negligence.
Gynaecologist Jan PÅáda, vice-chairman of the Czech Medical Chamber, told local media: “A Czech-speaking patient would probably actively resist the fact that she is going to undergo a procedure that she does not understand.”
An anonymous source told a Czech newspaper both women were of Asian descent.
David Marx, chair of the Czech Society for Quality in Healthcare, said: “The goal must be to do a root analysis, identify the causes, and set a process so that this never happens again.”
Bulovka Hospital spokesman Eva Stolejda Libigerova told CNN Prima News: “According to the findings so far, as a result of a serious violation of internal regulations on the part of the employees concerned, the surgical procedure was initiated on the incorrectly identified patient.”
She added: “If violations of mandatory working procedures are revealed as part of the ongoing internal investigation, specific individuals will be held personally responsible for it.”
Health ministry spokesman OndÅej Jakob revealed the hospital has apologised to the patient and her family. It is ready to offer compensation.
In the Czech Republic, abortion can be legally performed for any reason up to 12 weeks, up to 24 weeks for medical reasons, and at any point during the pregnancy in case of foetal anomaly.
In 2019, a doctor in South Korea performed an abortion on the wrong woman after failing to check her identity.
She was six weeks pregnant when she went to the clinic to receive what was believed to be nutritional supplements.
