DUBAI // A gynecologist has been convicted of risking the health of a woman in labour by deciding she needed a caesarean section operation.
N N, 49, an Indian, appeared at the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours on Thursday after H A, 31, from Saudi Arabia, complained to police about the procedure.
H A told prosecutors that during her labour in May 2012 she was told by N N that unless she agreed to the C-section the baby would die or be left disabled.
“I was then stunned to see a bill for Dh35,190, which made me realise that her motive was not the baby’s health but money,” said H A.
Her husband, S A, 36, testified that he and his wife were told that the delivery would be normal, but that his wife was intimidated into signing an approval form for the C-section.
D N, 31, a nurse, said that she was part of the team working during H A’s labour.
She said she noticed the baby’s heart beat was slowing so called for the help of the doctor.
“N N came and spoke to H A and told her about the C-section and H A signed it willingly,” said D N.
N N told the court: “She was given medication to help with the pain. Then hours later she was not dilated the way she should have been, so I ordered that she was given an injection to help with the dilation. After which I left for my home as my work hours were over.”
About three hours later, she was called by the hospital and informed that H A’s baby had a weak heartbeat.
“I returned and I discovered that she had not been given the injection, so I was only left with the choice of a C-section,” said NN.
“I did not force her to have a C-section. All indications were that she would have had a normal delivery but then she lost all the water in which the baby was living. Her husband approved the procedure and she left the hospital three days after the surgery. I was then surprised with the police report about four months later.”
N N was convicted and fined Dh5,000.
salamir@thenational.ae
