Reuters


A woman in New Zealand accidentally lost her baby after she took a medicine given to her by the staff at the hospital. The accidental abortion of her pregnancy was believed to be caused by that drug, otherwise known as Misoprostol.

Misoprostol is an NSAID (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug) used to prevent induced gastric ulcers. It is utilized to treat miscarriage and induce labor.

The woman who was confined at the Waitemata District Health Board hospital was asked to take Misoprostol by the staff, who thought she had a miscarriage. The woman was rushed to the hospital and admitted with bleeding before she lost her child according to the health report.

The New Zealand Herald hospital conducted an ultrasound after she has taken the drug and discovered that the baby was alive, but has a slow and weak pulse.

When the staff noticed that a wrong medicine was administered, the woman was immediately given a charcoal, which was expected to reverse the effect of the drug, but then the baby died.

This incident is just one of the 377 events, considered severe and sentinel, which happened in most of the public hospitals in New Zealand from 2010 to 2011 according to the Health Quality & Safety Commission on Monday.

NZ Newswire reported that out of the 377 cases, 86 patients faced death. The commission found out, however, that the major reason for their deaths was not the mistake commonly committed by the staff, but their medical conditions.

Professor Alan Merry, chairman of the commission, said the events must be considered and viewed through the eyes of patients including their families. Everyone must acknowledge that most of these cases should never have existed.

He further added that the report was not made to blame the staff or the hospital, but to encourage improvement within these facilities.