The placenta is an organ that develops as a fetus grows in your uterus. It’s attached to the wall of your uterus. It delivers oxygen and nutrients to your baby through the umbilical cord. The placenta and other tissues that develop during pregnancy naturally deliver from the uterus during childbirth.
The term Retained Products of Conception (“RPOC”) refers to the placental and/or fetal tissue that remains in the uterus (womb) after a pregnancy ends whether that is after a planned pregnancy termination or abortion, a caesarean section, a miscarriage or a normal vaginal birth.
When placental or fetal tissues remain in the uterus after a pregnancy, they can cause heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, enlarged uterus, fever, hypomenorrhea, infection and other serious health problems and in some cases even death.
Therefore, after the birth or termination process, the obstetrician or midwife must ensure that the placenta has completely exited the body without any tissue remaining. If this is not completed properly, there will be RPOC. RPOC are most common after miscarriages and abortions. RPOC prevent your uterus from returning to its pre-pregnancy state and this will result in a substantial risk to the woman and her reproductive and general health. This is a form of medical negligence.
The chance of developing a major infection or sepsis, both of which can be fatal, is one of the many serious risk factors associated with RPOC. Additionally, it may affect your fertility and increase your risk of subsequent miscarriages.
Once a victim contacts us, we require a statement setting out the facts of the matter and we will perform an initial legal and medical screening of the case. If after this screening, we believe that this is a case that merits further investigation, full medical records will have to be taken up, independent medical experts will have to be engaged to review those records and the experts will have to provide a formal written report for the court that in their expert opinion, medical negligence has occurred.
Then barristers have to be engaged and complex legal proceedings have to drafted. Only then can the claim actually be submitted to the court. While we have streamlined this process as much as possible, it does take a significant amount of time. Therefore if you think you have a medical negligence claim, please get in touch with us as soon as possible – the success of your case depends upon contacting us as soon as possible.
Retained placentas typically fall into one of three categories. These take place if the placenta does not leave the body within 30 minutes of delivery.
The following factors can be used to determine retained products of conception claims:
Having RPOC after a miscarriage or abortion is a good indication of a valid claim for medical negligence. However, this does not automatically entitle you to compensation. The outcome of any claim depends on the particular facts and circumstances. You must prove that the hospital and medical professionals in charge of your care were negligent and you must prove that their negligence had a negative effect on you.
If you have RPOC please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We have a quick and easy form that you can fill out, which will help us determine whether or not you have a case for medical negligence in the most efficient manner. We have worked on a number of retained products of conception cases and we would be delighted to assist you with your inquiry.
Level 4, The Glass House
11 Coke Lane
Smithfield
Dublin 7, D07 WNP2
Call: 01 771 80 12
Email: info@peterboyle.ie
