A French mother of three has had to have all four limbs partially amputated after a routine abortion went wrong. She and her husband are now suing the medical team in Bordeaux University Hospital, and have decided to go public about the malpractice after three years of waiting for justice, The Local has reported.
In 2011, Priscilla Dray was a 36 year old shopkeeper, admitted to the maternity ward on a Friday morning for a routine abortion operation. She and her husband had agreed on the procedure as she had become pregnant again very quickly after the birth of their third child. The medical process took a few hours, after which she was allowed to go home.
By the next day Dray was in pain and had a high fever, so returned to the maternity ward. An on-call doctor took a blood sample but sent her home again without any treatment. Yet by the Sunday morning, her condition had deteriorated further and she returned to the hospital. It was only then that she was diagnosed with septicaemia and given antibiotics. She was finally admitted to the ward at about midday, more than 24 hours after first complaining of illness.
Unfortunately the antibiotics were administered too late, allowing the infection to take hold. Dray had to have both feet, her right forearm and her left hand amputated. She and her husband blame the medical staff for not prescribing antibiotics early enough to prevent the amputations.
Her case is currently being looked at by Bordeaux’s High Court. However, as it has now been three years since the events, and with justice still not seen, Dray and her husband have gone public about the failings of the staff.
In France, abortion is legal on demand up to the 12th week of pregnancy, and is generally considered safe. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advise that antibiotics are routinely given before a surgical abortion to reduce the risk of infection.
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