Investigation Launched after Pregnant Woman Dies from Severe Medical Complications

The medical case of a 21-year-old woman who died after suffering severe pregnancy complications has been referred to the Medical Council for an in-depth investigation, Health Minister Anil Bachoo has announced.

The 23-week pregnant patient tragically passed away following a placental abruption, which an independent inquiry linked to “regular cannabis use” and a lack of antenatal care.

The tragedy has also thrown a spotlight on hospital staffing, after it emerged that a gynecologist was not physically present at the hospital when the patient was admitted due to a recent labor tribunal ruling.

The details came to light after MP Annabelle Savabaddy questioned Minister Bachoo in parliament regarding the death at the SSRNH Hospital, which has been officially classified as a maternal death.

Timeline of a Tragedy

According to the chronology provided by Minister Bachoo, the patient first arrived at the SSRNH Hospital emergency department at 11:48 pm on May 19, complaining of abdominal pain.

The on-duty doctor diagnosed her 23-week pregnancy and strongly recommended hospital admission.

However, the patient refused, signed her own discharge papers against medical advice, and left. Records show she had not followed any standard protocols for pregnancy follow-ups.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly over the following hours:

• 3:00 am (May 20): The patient returned to the hospital with ongoing abdominal pain and light bleeding. A specialist advised moving her to the Labor Ward for a natural delivery, as the fetus no longer had a heartbeat.
• 6:40 am: The patient began bleeding heavily due to a placental abruption (where the placenta separates from the uterus).
• 7:00 am: She underwent emergency surgery and was transferred to the Gynae Ward at 9:00 am in a stable condition.
• 11:50 am: The patient collapsed. The consultant in charge and the treating specialist performed an emergency hysterectomy to remove her uterus. She was then moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
• 9:05 am (May 21): Doctors noted a distended abdomen. An exploratory laparotomy was performed to evaluate internal bleeding before she was returned to the ICU.

On May 22, a multidisciplinary medical team—comprising a physician, a nephrologist, an anesthetist, a surgeon, and a gynecologist—examined her.

Despite their efforts, her condition failed to improve, and she succumbed to further complications at 8:40 am on May 23.

The body was sent to the police for an autopsy, but the family refused. Minister Bachoo noted that while post-mortems are mandatory for road accidents, they remain at the discretion of the police forensic doctor for other cases.

Inquiry Findings and Cannabis Risks

Following a preliminary probe by the Acting Regional Health Director, the Ministry instituted an independent committee of inquiry on May 28 to investigate the case.

The panel included the Acting Regional Health Director of Jeetoo Hospital and two consultant gynecologists in charge of Victoria and Jawaharlal Nehru hospitals, respectively.

The committee submitted its report on June 1, concluding that the medical catastrophe was driven by a combination of factors.

These included the patient’s regular use of cannabis, high-risk obstetric pathologies, and her total lack of prenatal monitoring.

The report stated these factors predisposed her to placental abruption and acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (a severe blood-clotting disorder).

Minister Bachoo cited a 2025 study demonstrating that cannabis consumption during pregnancy carries high risks of gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, abnormal weight gain, and placental abruption.

He added that the patient’s initial refusal to be admitted delayed vital care, though he reassured parliament that “all procedures were followed and all care was up to standard” once she was readmitted.

Staffing Row Exposing System Flaws

The tragedy has reignited a bitter dispute over overnight specialist coverage in regional hospitals.

Responding to MP Savabaddy’s query about the absence of an on-site gynecologist at 3:00 am, Minister Bachoo pointed to a recent Employment Relations Tribunal (ERT) ruling.

Following previous cases of maternal deaths, the Pay Research Bureau (PRB) had recommended that a gynecologist be permanently stationed 24/7 in every regional hospital.

In 2022, the former government implemented this round-the-clock requirement but failed to ensure there were enough specialists to sustain it.

The doctors’ union challenged the policy at the ERT and won. As a result of the ruling, specialists are no longer legally required to remain at the hospital 24/7 and are only obliged to attend when called in.

“We wanted to engage in dialogue, but that very day, the union argued that the 24/7 requirement was illegal,” Minister Bachoo expressed with regret, adding that while he does not condemn all doctors, a handful are “abusing” the ERT decision.

In the wake of the findings, Chief Whip Stéphanie Anquetil inquired whether psychological assistance was being provided to the grieving family.

Meanwhile, MP Farhad Aumeer questioned whether it was high time for the ministry to recruit a consultant hematologist to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Source: Le Mauricien