THE forced removal of a foetus from a mother’s womb will cause immediate death, said Gynaecologist Dr Mathias Sapuri, responding to comments from readers on a story about a husband who was reported to have pulled out his unborn child after beating his wife in Kudjip, Western Highlands said recently.
“Anyone that does, as described, would have caused death of the foetus and the mother if there was no medical intervention immediately after the event,” Dr Sapuri told The National.
A writer to the Letters to the Editor highlighted this was impossible.
The writer from Madang said: “There is no way a man can put his hands inside the uterus and pull a baby out which can trigger heavy uncontrollable bleeding.
“Many mothers have died of blood loss after giving birth.
“Pulling the baby out may result in foetal death, lacerated or torn cervix, severe vaginal laceration, third degree tears, retained placenta and membranes, ruptured uterus, trauma and injury to nearby organs, and only to name a few.
“All these contribute to severe haemorrhage in which this mother would have already be dead when locked in the house for a week.”
It was reported in the media that Toi Molly, who was seven months pregnant, was beaten by her husband and locked in her house for a week before being admitted to the Kudjip hospital and was released recently.
The National reported last Friday that the woman had returned to her husband and she denied that he had pulled out the unborn child.
Instead she said she lost the baby through a miscarriage.