Ectopic Pregnancies
Medical Negligence Solicitors in Oldham, helping clients across the North West
Ectopic Pregnancy Claims Solicitors
An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb. If the egg becomes stuck in the fallopian tube, steps must be taken to address it. The failure to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, or a delay in treating an ectopic pregnancy, will allow the pregnancy to continue, which will jeopardise the fallopian tube and increase the risk of potentially catastrophic internal bleeding.
If you or a loved one has suffered avoidable harm as a result of the failure to diagnose or treat an ectopic pregnancy, our experienced medical negligence team can help. To discuss your ectopic pregnancy claim with a specialist medical negligence solicitor, please either telephone us on 01457 761 320 or email kenneth.lees@odonnellsolicitors.co.uk, and a member of the team will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Understanding Ectopic Pregnancy Claims
An ectopic pregnancy cannot progress safely and, if left untreated, will eventually compromise the fallopian tube, cause internal bleeding, and pose a serious health risk.
Ectopic pregnancies are well recognised in obstetric, gynaecological, and emergency care, and there are established clinical protocols for how they should be identified, investigated, and treated. An ectopic pregnancy medical negligence claim looks at whether the care provided by a GP, hospital, or emergency clinician fell below the standard of a responsible body of medical opinion. It must also be determined whether that failure caused or materially contributed to injury and loss, including the loss of a fallopian tube, reduced fertility, or the need for future treatment.
What Are the Symptoms of an Ectopic Pregnancy?
An ectopic pregnancy does not always cause symptoms and is sometimes only detected during a routine pregnancy scan. They can also be detected as a result of scans arranged where there is a pregnancy of unknown location.
Where symptoms develop, they usually include a combination of:
- A missed period and other signs of pregnancy
- Pain down low down, on one side of the tummy
- Vaginal bleeding or a brown, watery discharge
- Pain in the tip of the shoulder
- Discomfort when going to the toilet
- Feeling faint, dizzy, or generally unwell
Anyone who is pregnant or potentially pregnant presenting with these symptoms should be treated as having a possible ectopic pregnancy until proven otherwise, and their care should be escalated urgently. A failure by a GP, 111 clinician, NHS professional, or A&E doctor to recognise these red flag symptoms and to escalate the necessary investigations is one of the most common features of medical negligence claims.
How Should an Ectopic Pregnancy Be Diagnosed and Treated?
Where an ectopic pregnancy is suspected, symptoms must be investigated with an ultrasound scan and blood tests to assess the level of pregnancy hormone, and the ectopic pregnancy must be treated with either a medicine called methotrexate or surgical intervention.
A failure or delay in diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy will allow the pregnancy to develop, and this will eventually compromise the fallopian tube. Early diagnosis will usually enable treatment with methotrexate to stop the pregnancy from growing. If the window for treatment with methotrexate has passed, surgical options include a salpingostomy, to remove the pregnancy and repair the fallopian tube, or a salpingotomy, where the tube and the pregnancy are removed. Left untreated, the fallopian tube will rupture and cause internal bleeding requiring emergency surgical intervention.
Types of Ectopic Pregnancy Negligence Claims We Can Help With
The specialist medical negligence team at O’Donnell Solicitors has extensive experience of advising clients who have experienced negligence in the diagnosis and management of an ectopic pregnancy. Successful claims have seen the recovery of compensation for the avoidable pain, suffering and loss of amenity associated with the loss of a fallopian tube, and for the cost of future IVF treatment.
We regularly advise on ectopic pregnancy claims arising from delayed diagnosis, failure to refer urgently, and inadequate treatment, including:
- GP negligence in failing to recognise the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy.
- NHS 111 misdirection or failure to escalate red flag symptoms.
- A&E or urgent treatment centre failures to identify ectopic pregnancy.
- Failure to arrange an urgent ultrasound scan and serum hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) blood test.
- Misinterpretation of ultrasound imaging or blood test results.
- Delayed diagnosis leading to fallopian tube rupture and emergency surgery.
- Failure to offer methotrexate treatment where clinically appropriate.
- Surgical errors during salpingostomy or salpingectomy.
- Loss of a fallopian tube where tube-sparing treatment would have been possible with earlier diagnosis.
- Fatal claims and inquests arising from complications of an untreated or ruptured ectopic pregnancy.
For more information on how a medical negligence claim works, including time limits, funding and compensation, please see our main Medical Negligence page.
Why Choose O’Donnell Solicitors for Your Ectopic Pregnancy Claim
O’Donnell Solicitors’ Medical Negligence Department is headed by Kenneth Lees and supported by a team with over a decade of combined experience in clinical negligence litigation. We offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation, and the vast majority of claims can be funded by way of a no-win, no-fee agreement. As a regional firm acting for clients across the North West, we combine specialist expertise with a personal and accessible service.
Local Medical Negligence Solicitors Throughout Saddleworth and Oldham
We recognise how daunting making a medical negligence claim can be and have taken great care to create a modern, welcoming environment for our clients to visit us. Our three office locations in Uppermill Village and Grasscroft offer convenience and accessible legal services to our visiting clients. We are also able to provide online appointments as and where our clients prefer. In some cases, and where required, we can deliver our entire service remotely.
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Case Study: Compensation recovered for misdiagnosis of ectopic pregnancy resulting in infertility
Kenneth Lees helped Mrs A recover compensation of £50,000 in her ectopic pregnancy negligence claim against Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Mrs A had a history of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage resulting in the lost of her right fallopian tube. Early in her latest pregnancy, she developed light bleeding associated with stomach cramps and pain. A scan revealed a mass attached to her left fallopian tube which sonographers misidentified as stool. She was sent home and told to return for a further scan 10 days later. Her pain worsened and she went to A&E where she was told that she had suffered a miscarriage. She was not scanned during this attendance and was sent home with advice to return for the planned scan. Before that scan could be performed, she developed severe pain and bleeding. She returned to A&E where a scan confirmed an ectopic pregnancy had ruptured the fallopian tube. She required emergency surgery where her fallopian tube was removed. Having lost both fallopian tubes, the only option for fertility treatment was in vitro fertilisation which, alongside the pain and suffering caused by the events, was the focus of the claim for compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ectopic Pregnancy Claims
Yes, in many cases. A delayed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy can form the basis of a medical negligence claim where the healthcare provider failed to recognise the symptoms, failed to arrange the necessary scans and blood tests, or failed to refer for urgent specialist review. Successful claims can compensate for the avoidable pain, emergency surgery, loss of a fallopian tube, and any impact on future fertility.
A missed or delayed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy can have serious consequences. It can result in rupture of the fallopian tube, significant internal bleeding, the need for emergency surgery, loss of one or both fallopian tubes, reduced fertility, the need for future IVF treatment, and, in the most serious cases, it can be fatal. There is also often a significant psychological impact, including grief, anxiety, and adjustment disorder.
Compensation for ectopic pregnancy negligence claims varies depending on the extent of the harm and its long-term impact. General damages compensate for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity associated with the delayed diagnosis, emergency surgery, and any lasting physical or psychological injury. Special damages cover past and future losses, including the cost of private fertility treatment and IVF cycles, loss of earnings, care and assistance during recovery, and any counselling or psychological treatment required.
Yes. A significant proportion of ectopic pregnancy claims involve fertility loss or reduced fertility resulting from the loss of one or both fallopian tubes. Where the delayed diagnosis meant that a tube-sparing procedure was no longer possible, or that the tube ruptured before it could be saved, the impact on future fertility can form a substantial part of the claim. Compensation can include the cost of IVF treatment and other fertility interventions that would not otherwise have been needed.
Medical negligence claims must generally be started in court within three years of the date of the negligent treatment, or within three years of the date on which the client had knowledge that they had been harmed by negligence. Because the fertility impact of an ectopic pregnancy may not become fully apparent until a later attempt to conceive, the date of knowledge is often significant in these cases. It is essential to obtain specialist legal advice as soon as possible to protect your position.