Can I sue the hospital for missing an ectopic pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy, sometimes known as a tubal pregnancy, occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself outside of the uterus such as in a fallopian tube. Certain women are more at risk for an ectopic pregnancy, including women who have Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Common symptoms include abdominal and shoulder pain, cramps, vaginal bleeding, nausea, and dizziness. If the ectopic pregnancy is not treated, the fallopian tube can rupture leading to death. In fact, ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal death in the first trimester.

Ectopic pregnancy can be confused with other conditions such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, ovarian cysts, and a normal pregnancy. But there are specific tests that can be performed to detect it. Ultrasound, pelvic exams, hormone tests, and pregnancy tests are the most common tests that can be performed on a woman showing possible signs of an ectopic pregnancy. The question is did the hospital perform all the tests that were necessary in order to properly diagnose your wife. If they did, how did they fail to diagnose her ectopic pregnancy? It appears that the hospital staff and/or doctor failed to perform a pregnancy test on your wife. Women can continue to menstruate during an ectopic pregnancy. So your wife probably had no reason to suspect that she was pregnant.

If the hospital is responsible for the misdiagnosis, then it could be sued for medical malpractice. Keep in mind that only hospital employees' negligent acts can result in the hospital being liable. But if only the doctor did the misdiagnosis, and he is not an employee of the hospital, the hospital may not be liable. Only the doctor may be liable.

A medical malpractice attorney can determine if medical negligence was committed by the hospital and/or doctor in failing to diagnose your wife's ectopic pregnancy.

Talk to a Medical Malpractice Lawyer to find out what options you have to seek compensation for your damages.