Bringing an Ectopic Pregnancy Claim for Medical Negligence
If you or your loved one has experienced an ectopic pregnancy which was missed, misdiagnosed or negligently treated, then you may have an ectopic pregnancy claim. Get in touch with our experienced medical negligence solicitors if you would like to discuss a potential claim.
What is an ectopic pregnancy?
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg ends up implanting itself in the wrong place, outside the womb. The most common place is the fallopian tube, which is the tube which runs from the ovary, where the eggs are produced, to the womb. If a fertilised egg implants in the wrong place, this can be a medical emergency. If the ectopic pregnancy remains untreated, it can go on to rupture the fallopian tube, causing heavy blood loss and can impact future fertility.
Examples of Ectopic Pregnancy Medical Negligence
Although uncommon, there are, unfortunately, instances where medical professionals make mistakes when diagnosing or treating ectopic pregnancy.
Here are some examples:
• Interpreting a pregnancy scan incorrectly - for example, misreading the scan as a miscarriage or a normal pregnancy.
• Failure to diagnose ectopic pregnancy due to misinterpreting symptoms - for example, shoulder pain could be diagnosed as something different.
• Delay in diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy, leading to higher risk and more invasive surgical treatment.
• Mistakes made during surgery to remove the egg and fallopian tube.
• Incomplete surgery.
• Improper management of patient care post-surgery.
• Surgical negligence resulting in death.
What is the value of an ectopic pregnancy claim?
The value of an ectopic pregnancy claim varies from case to case. At Medical Solicitors, we have extensive experience helping clients who have been subject to ectopic pregnancy negligence, with successful claims ranging from about £11,000 up to £1M+. The value of the claim is guided by the severity of the outcome for the patient and their family.
If your ectopic pregnancy claim is successful, you will be awarded General Damages (otherwise known as Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity). You may also be awarded compensation to cover Loss of Earnings, both past and future.
Here are some examples of what other financial items your claim may cover:
• Inability to care for children during recovery
• Expenses to cover additional care costs during recovery – this can also include at-home care performed by a family member or friend
• Expenses to cover appointments with mental health professionals or fertility counsellors
• Expenses to cover travel to and from appointments
• Surrogacy costs if a lady is rendered infertile and had planned to have children (or more children)
It is vital that you engage an experienced ectopic pregnancy solicitor to help you fight for the full value of compensation you deserve.
Examples of successful claims
At Medical Solicitors, we have a team of specialists in gynaecological cases and have represented many clients in successful ectopic pregnancy claims. Here are some examples:
• £392,000 for a failed ectopic pregnancy procedure. Our client brought an ectopic pregnancy claim on behalf of his wife, who tragically bled to death on the operating table after a doctor attempted to extract the ectopic pregnancy with keyhole surgery.
• £114,000 for a 32-year-old woman, for the failure to diagnose her ectopic pregnancy. During her pregnancy, our client attended hospital numerous times complaining of bleeding, pain, abdominal swelling and more, however medical staff failed to identify ectopic pregnancy. It wasn’t until our client had a caesarean section during labour that doctors discovered the pregnancy was ectopic, demanding a bowel resection, colonoscopy and full hysterectomy. She had to wear a colostomy bag for five years, and would never be able to conceive.
• £35,350 for our client, a 42-year-old woman, who suffered from an ectopic pregnancy. She attended the Hospital twice with complaints of severe right-sided abdominal pain, however the Hospital discharged her prematurely. In the end, she needed emergency surgery to remove her fallopian tube, and her womb was punctured during the procedure. Our client suffered nearly two weeks of unnecessary pain, emotional trauma and her fertility declined by 25%.
Is there a time limit for ectopic pregnancy claims?
If you have been a victim of ectopic pregnancy negligence, you have three years from the date of your injuries or the date you realised you had experienced negligent treatment to make your claim. Three years is the standard time limit for all medical negligence claims. However, under extenuating circumstances, the Court might make an exception.
At Medical Solicitors, we do not automatically decline cases that have passed or are close to expiry, so please contact us if you would like to discuss your situation.
How common is ectopic pregnancy?
According to the NHS, approximately 1 in 90 pregnancies in the UK is ectopic.
What are the causes of ectopic pregnancy?
The most common reason the egg gets stuck in the tube and embeds is that the fallopian tube is either inflamed or damaged in some way, causing the natural route to the womb to become obstructed. You may have an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy if you have suffered with pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, had surgery to your tubes/ovaries, or have a coil fitted for contraception. If you have previously suffered an ectopic pregnancy, you are also at greater risk.
What are the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy?
Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy tend to show in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Initial signs may be similar to those of a womb pregnancy, such as a missed period, breast tenderness and cramps. Because of this, there are times when ectopic pregnancy is only picked up at the initial 12-week dating scan. An ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous and lead to serious complications.
Warning signs can include:
• Stomach pain down one side
• Vaginal bleeding
• Pain in the shoulder
How is ectopic pregnancy diagnosed?
An ectopic pregnancy is generally diagnosed by carrying out an ultrasound scan or by checking that the pregnancy hormone, hCG, is doubling over time. This is done with blood tests being performed 48 hours apart.
How is ectopic pregnancy managed?
If you are diagnosed early, you will be treated by way of either:
• Expectant management: A ‘wait and see’ approach to see if the fertilised egg will dissolve by itself naturally.
• An injection, usually of Methotrexate: This is given in very early pregnancy to stop the pregnancy from continuing. The injection is followed by close monitoring with blood tests and scans.
• Keyhole surgery (laparoscopy): This is to remove the egg, and the affected fallopian tube is also generally removed.
Should there be a failure to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, then the type of management may be different and have further consequences, such as having to have invasive surgery and having a fallopian tube removed which could otherwise have been saved. This may well affect fertility in the future. In the worst cases, death may result.
Talk to our ectopic pregnancy solicitors
If you feel that you or have been victim to ectopic pregnancy negligence and have suffered an avoidable injury as a result, please contact us and we can discuss your concerns in a confidential manner. Our experienced, caring team has years of experience working with clients on gynaecological and pregnancy negligence cases, and so are well-equipped to help you bring a successful claim.
If we believe we can progress with your claim, we will likely offer you a ‘No Win, No Fee’ Agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means you do not have to worry about how you are going to afford to bring a claim, and you have nothing to lose in speaking to our friendly team.
If you have sadly lost a loved one due to ectopic pregnancy negligence, we have put together numerous Help and Advice Guides for fatal cases, and our team is here to listen to your experience and figure out how we can help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Please Note: At Medical Solicitors, our experts specialise in handling ectopic pregnancy claims involving healthcare providers in England and Wales and will be happy to assist if your case is located in either of these regions. Unfortunately, we do not handle ectopic pregnancy claims outside of England and Wales.
