Pregnant woman’s death triggers protest

The death of a pregnant woman on Thursday triggered a furore among her family members who allege medical negligence by doctors and staff at a private hospital in B.C. Road.

The Bantwal Town Police on Friday registered a case of culpable homicide against the management and nurses of Somayaji hospital at B.C. Road. Late in the evening several people gathered in front of the hospital demanding the arrest of the doctor.

According to relatives at the Mortuary of the District Wenlock hospital, Chanchalakshi (29), had been admitted to Somayaji hospital around 10.30 a.m. on Thursday. “She was due that day, and was in good spirits,” said Latan Kumar, her brother-in-law.

Around 6.45 p.m., labour was induced by administering an injection. “They took her to another room, and within ten minutes, they told us she was dead,” said Mr. Latan Kumar. Her body was taken to a private hospital in Mangalore in an attempt to save the baby. Both the woman and the unborn baby were declared dead, said relatives.

‘Doctors helpless’

Bharathi Shetty, the gynaecologist of the deceased, said the death was due to a “rare” complication called Amniotic Fluid Embolism. “Within a matter of minutes, the patient experiences convulsion, and cardiac arrest. The mother suffers from hypoxia (lack of oxygen supply) and the child dies of it too and there is little the doctors can do,” she said.

Police said they were waiting for details of the post-mortem report.