The most UNNECESSARY cesarean section ever

Just when I think I've heard all I can about unnecessary c-sections, along comes a story of a woman who was not even PREGNANT, and they tried to induce, then did a section on her.  Unreal.......  Yes, I understand this woman was dealing with a mental/emotional condition and may have truly thought she was pregnant -- but why couldn't the DOCTORS figure this out during the course of the supposed induction??

http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2010/03/31/987295

Doctors cited in handling of false pregnancy

By Jennifer Calhoun
Staff writer

Two Fayetteville gynecologists were issued public letters of concern by the North Carolina Medical Board after a woman who was not pregnant was induced for labor and given a cesarean section.

Dr. Dorrette Grant and Dr. Gerianne Geszler received the letters in January regarding a patient suffering from pseudocyesis, a disorder in which a patient has a false pregnancy that can be caused by emotional factors, tumors or an endocrine disorder.

The incident happened at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in November 2008 when a woman exhibiting signs of pregnancy went to the hospital with her husband asking for a cesarean section, Geszler said Tuesday.
Geszler was the attending on-call supervisor at the time. A resident in her charge made the pregnancy diagnosis, Geszler said.

As a result, Grant attempted to perform a C-section on the patient after a failed attempt at inducing labor, the board letters said.

The letters said the resident did not have enough experience to make the diagnosis and that the board is concerned that Grant and Geszler's management of the situation had "fallen below the standard of care."
Dena Konkel, a spokeswoman for the Medical Board, said the letters to Grant and Geszler amount to a formal notice expressing the board's concern about a practitioner's conduct.

The two doctors will be allowed to continue practicing, with a warning from the board that similar complaints could lead to formal disciplinary proceedings, Konkel said.

Geszler said it is not uncommon to see women with false pregnancies, but she was surprised the resident was not able to make a correct determination after examining the patient.

"It wasn't something I thought I'd have to check behind somebody on," Geszler said. "The bottom line is the woman convinced everybody she was pregnant."

In pseudocyesis, a patient can have all the signs and symptoms of pregnancy, including abdominal and breast enlargement, nausea, food cravings and cessation of menstruation.

Some patients have even tested positive on pregnancy tests, experts have said.

Geszler said the hospital has instituted new guidelines for cases such as this.

"It will never happen again," she said.

Grant practices at Women's Health Haven Obstetrics & Gynecology, according to her profile on the Medical Board's Web site. She could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Geszler practices at Breezewood Family Healthcare. At the time of the surgery, she was practicing at Women's Wellness Center.

Geszler said Tuesday she has since stopped practicing obstetrics and now focuses on anti-aging medicine at Breezewood's Center for Health and Restoration. Both doctors maintain their admitting privileges at Cape Fear Valley, according to the Medical Board's Web site.

No previous infractions were reported for either doctor on the board's Web site.
Staff writer Jennifer Calhoun can be reached at calhounj@fayobserver.com or 486-3595.

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