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  From:  David (DavidABrown)    2/19/2002 10:07 pm  
To:  ALL   (1 of 2)  
 
  322.1  
 
Subject:   Court Hears How Botched Abortion Killed Woman
Source:   Associated Press; January 10, 2002

Court Hears How Botched Abortion Killed Woman

Wilmington, DE -- A Delaware abortion practitioner accused of botching an
abortion that led to a woman's death has testified that something went
wrong, but he doesn't know how or why.

Mohammad Imran is being sued by the family of Gracealynn T. Harris, who
was about 18 weeks pregnant when she went to him for an abortion in
September 1997. She died hours later.

A medical examiner determined Harris died of massive internal bleeding
from perforated uterine wall.

"It's an inadvertent perforation that happened without showing any signs
that it happened," Imran testified Wednesday under questioning by Randall
Robbins, an attorney representing Harris' family in the lawsuit being
heard in New Castle County Superior Court.

Imran said he inserted metal dilators only a small distance into Harris'
uterus.

"I have no idea how it happened," Imran said. "I do know how to introduce
these instruments."

Under questioning by Robbins, Imran said he was unaware that the facility
where he worked had medical protocols governing abortion procedures until
Robbins showed them to him. Those protocols include guidelines for dealing
with suspected uterine perforations and internal bleeding.

Among other things, the protocols recommend that an ambulance be called if
a doctor suspects that the uterus has been perforated. In Harris' case, an
ambulance was not called.

"So you disregarded the clinic protocol, correct?" Robbins asked.

"I've never seen this protocol," Imran replied.

The medical examiner said the uterine wall was perforated with a blunt
instrument, indicating a dilation tool.

Robbins asked Imran why he used metal dilators, instead of sponge-like
devices called osmotic dilators that can be inserted into the cervix hours
before the procedure. By absorbing moisture, the dilators expand, causing
dilation of the cervix and a softening of the tissue.

According to a 1987 technical bulletin by The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the use of osmotic dilators is "strongly
recommended" for mid-trimester abortions.

Imran said such technical bulletins only express the opinions of some
doctors and do not define a standard of care. He also said he does not
always agree with medical textbooks that outline procedures for abortions.

"A lot of these textbooks are written by academicians, people who don't
work in the trenches, like myself," Imran said. "The people who write
these textbooks are not doers, they are writers and talkers."

Imran said he would have used osmotic dilators only in a woman who had not
been pregnant before and had a small cervix. Harris gave birth nine months
before the abortion and was more than four months pregnant at the time.

Imran said he has performed tens of thousands of abortions and that he was
aware of only two or three of his patients suffering uterine perforations.

Under questioning by his own attorney, Gil Shelsby, Imran said uterine
perforation is a recognized complication of abortion and is not always
readily identifiable. Bleeding from a puncture of the posterior uterine
wall would likely not be visible, Imran said.

In afternoon testimony, Robbins called Dr. James L. Mollick, an
obstetrician and gynecologist who practices in Pennsylvania, to the
witness stand as an expert witness. Mollick said Imran violated several
standards of care for abortion procedures.

The standards of care violated included not performing the second
trimester abortion in a hospital, not using osmotic dilators, not using a
sounding device to assess the position of the uterine canal, not using
ultrasound to help guide the abortion instruments, and skipping dilator
sizes, Mollick told jurors.

"At 18 weeks gestation, she has an extremely high risk of being
perforated," Mollick told jurors.

Mollick also noted that Imran was working on two patients simultaneously,
alternating his time between Harris and the other patient.

Court records show that Imran spent 36 minutes performing Harris's
abortion but testified that it should have taken only about 10 minutes. In
the recovery room, Harris' pulse began to race and her blood pressure
dropped. She was taken back to the operating room, where Imran sutured a
small tear on her cervix but apparently failed to discover the uterine
perforation.

On cross-examination, Mollick admitted that the failure of nurses at the
facility to monitor Harris' vital signs and check for further bleeding
before allowing her to go home may have contributed to her death.

Imran was expected to continue his testimony on Thursday.

--
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David A. Brown
Basic Christian: Forum
 
  
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   From:  David (DavidABrown)    3/23/2002 4:30 pm  
To:  ALL   (2 of 2)  
 
  322.2 in reply to 322.1  
 
Source:   Texas Justice Foundation; January 22, 2002

Women Injured by Abortion Sue Texas for Legal Protection

Houston, TX -- A lawsuit by women injured by abortion has been filed
against the State of Texas, State Department of Health, and the Texas
Medical Disclosure Panel.

Women who have been injured by abortion in Texas have filed suit in
Houston State District Court for failing to enforce existing abortion
facility regulations to protect the health of women seeking abortions.

The Plaintiffs are women who sought and received abortions in Texas and
received a variety of physical and emotional injuries, including ruptured
uterus, sterility, severe guilt and depression.

The suit alleges that the State of Texas: fails to require abortion
providers to give enough information for informed consent;  fails to
adequately investigate unlicensed abortion facilities;  fails to
adequately inspect and examine licensed facilities; fails to inspect
ambulatory surgical centers where abortions are performed without
licenses; fails to cooperate with other State agencies attempting to
prosecute illegal activity in abortion facilities; fails to prevent the
unauthorized practice of medicine by unlicensed individuals in abortion
facilities; and fails to require child abuse which results in impregnation
to be reported to Child Protective Services.

Several of the women were injured by abortions performed in abortion
clinics by non-licensed personnel, including non-doctors.

One of the plaintiffs is the mother of a minor child who was under medical
care for depression, but who obtained an abortion without her parents'
consent resulting in a significant increase in the child's mental illness,
including required hospitalization.

While abortion is legal in Texas, because of Roe v. Wade, abortions are
being performed in an illegal manner and which do not adequately protect
the health of women. These women injured by abortion are seeking
protection for women's health.

If you would like further information, please contact the Texas Justice
Foundation's Media Assistant, Queta Aguilar at 210-614-7157, ext. 203.

--
The Pro-Life Infonet is a daily compilation of pro-life news and
information. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to:
infonet-request@prolifeinfo.org. Infonet is sponsored by Women and
Children First (http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.org). For more pro-life
info visit http://www.prolifeinfo.org and for questions or additional
information email ertelt@prolifeinfo.org



David A. Brown
Basic Christian: Forum
 
  
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