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Maternal deaths increased by 40% in 2021, with women of color more likely to die following birth
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel says socioeconomic health care disparities, COVID and obesity rates are behind the large number of maternal deaths, compared to other nations.
A man in Australia filed a massive lawsuit against a hospital after staff “encouraged” him to watch his wife’s cesarean section, which he says caused him to develop a “psychotic illness.”
Anil Koppula was shot down in the Supreme Court of Victoria in Melbourne last week after he filed a suit seeking 1 billion Australian dollars (roughly $643 million USD) in damages for psychological injury from the Royal Women’s Hospital, Australian outlet 7 News reported.
His wife successfully gave birth via C-section in the hospital back in 2018. Years later, however, Koppula came forward and claimed that the hospital and its staff breached their duty of care when they “encouraged” and “permitted” him to watch the delivery, the outlet reported.
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C-sections are relatively common procedures. (iStock)
C-sections are relatively common procedures where doctors make an incision on a woman’s abdomen and uterus to deliver a baby, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The procedure is frequently used when doctors believe it’s safer for the health of the mom and baby compared to a vaginal birth. Roughly 32% of 2021 births in U.S. were cesarean deliveries, according to the CDC.
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Roughly 32% of 2021 births in U.S. were cesarean deliveries, according to the CDC. (Silas Stein/Getty Images)
Koppula said he saw his wife’s blood and organs during the procedure, which caused him to develop a “psychotic illness” that led to a “breakdown of his marriage,” according to the suit.
The Royal Women’s Hospital denied breaching a duty of care for Koppula during the procedure.
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Koppula represented himself in the case. Justice James Gorton dismissed the case last week and labeled it an “abuse of process.”
A midwife assists a mom in labor. (Jan Woitas/Getty images )
The dad underwent a medical examination as part of the legal proceedings, which found “the degree of psychiatric impairment resulting from the injury to the claimant alleged in the claim does not satisfy the threshold level,” according to 7News.
Koppula said he disagreed with the medical panel’s determination, but did not file paperwork to challenge the findings.
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“I am therefore satisfied that the legal effect of the Medical Panel’s determination is that Mr. Koppula is simply unable, as a matter of law, to recover damages for non-economic loss,” the judge said of the suit.