MP woman told unborn child was dead, delivers healthy baby after it was found alive in private scan

According to hospital sources, the names of three doctors have surfaced in the internal investigation so far.

A 24-year-old woman in Madhya Pradesh was advised to undergo an abortion after government hospital doctors failed to detect her unborn child’s heartbeat using Doppler and sonography. However, she later delivered a healthy baby boy following a second opinion at a private clinic, prompting an official inquiry into alleged medical negligence.

Durga Dwivedi, a resident of Chakera village in Rampur Baghelan, was first admitted to the Amarpatan Civil Hospital at around 2 am on the night of July 15-16, after experiencing labour pains. Accompanied by an ASHA worker, she was referred to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Government District Hospital in Satna by 4 am due to her high-risk pregnancy status.

She reached the district hospital at approximately 7:30 am. The duty doctor on arrival instructed routine blood investigations. By 9 am, a senior resident doctor carried out a Doppler examination but failed to detect the foetal heartbeat. A subsequent sonography also indicated no foetal movement, leading the medical team to conclude that the foetus had died. Based on these findings, doctors recommended a medication-induced abortion.

Durga’s husband, Rahul Dwivedi, said his wife was unconvinced by the diagnosis. “Despite being told there was no heartbeat, we felt we had to be sure before taking any step. We decided to get another scan done privately,” he told local media.

The couple proceeded to a diagnostic centre in Bharhutnagar, where a fresh sonography revealed that the baby was alive and healthy. Durga was immediately transferred to a private nursing home, where she underwent a caesarean section. She delivered a healthy baby boy weighing 3.5 kilograms.

Doctors at the private hospital said that on arrival, the patient underwent a repeat sonography. All vital signs and growth indicators were normal, so they proceeded with the delivery. The child was born without complications.

The case has now triggered an official inquiry into the conduct of the district hospital. Medical authorities at the maternity wing acknowledged that the foetus’s heartbeat had not been detected during the initial assessments. “Both the Doppler and the sonography showed no heartbeat, which is why the foetus was declared dead,” the doctors at the government hospital stated.

Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr L K Tiwari told the media that the incident came to light on Wednesday morning. “A letter has been sent to the Dean of the Medical College and the Civil Surgeon. A detailed inquiry will be conducted, and strict action will be taken if any lapse is found,” he said.

According to hospital sources, the names of three doctors have surfaced in the internal investigation so far. These include a senior resident in radiology who conducted the sonography and a senior resident in gynaecology.