Doctor gets 3 years in jail for attempted abortion

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced ISS, 56, absconding Iraqi gynaecologist, to three years in jail for attempting abortion and cesarean operation on a pregnant woman.

The sentence was issued in absentia.

According to the records, the victim, NMO, 41, housewife, Iraqi, testified that she went to ISS on the recommendation of a doctor since she had repeated miscarriages in 2008. The accused checked her and did not find any reason for miscarriage.

In September 2009, NMO got pregnant and she visited ISS for check-up. ISS followed the NMO’s pregnancy for eight months during which she gave her injections to ensure success of the pregnancy.

However, NMO did not feel that her pregnancy was normal. NMO had to use a wheelchair because she was unable to walk in the sixth month of her pregnancy.

“I asked the doctor to make 3D sonar to know the position of the baby but the doctor refused, claiming that everything is normal. In May 2010, I made a 3D sonar in the same hospital and the doctor in the X-ray section told me that there are problems in the lungs and kidneys of the baby and asked me to see a doctor.

“The doctor, ISS, claimed that the status of the baby was normal when she last checked me. She asked me to visit the fetus section of Dubai Heath Care to double check the status of the baby.

“A German doctor checked me and told me that my faetus is a ‘magnolias’ because of symptoms that usually appear in the ninth week of pregnancy.

“I told my supervising doctor about the result and she prescribed a medicine for me the next day which my husband went and got from the hospital’s pharmacy. She applied the medicine and asked me to come after three days.

“At home I felt labour pains. I called the doctor but she did not answer. I checked with another doctor about the medicine she gave me and was shocked to hear that it was used for abortion.

“I went to the hospital and the doctor ISS insisted that the medicine she gave was just a pain killer. She asked me to come after two days for a caesarian operation.

“However, the doctor could not obtain approval for the caesarian while I was being prepared in the operation room. She asked for my transfer to Dubai Hospital.

“The doctor in charge there, AN, did not agree to do an abortion because that is against the laws of the country. She gave me some medicine to help activate the lungs of the fetus.

“AN told me that there is a defect in the chromosomes that resulted in disfiguration of the fetus. She told me that the baby is in danger and it is difficult for it to survive.

“On May 26, I went to the hospital as I felt labour pains and the baby was born by caesarian but he survived only for about an hour after which he died,” NMO testified.

AN, 55, British, testified that the patient was given an abortion medicine and her doctor decided to conduct a caesarian to remove the baby.

“The management of the hospital refused to give the doctor the approval for a caesarian and abortion and ordered transfer of the patient to Dubai Hospital which waited until the mother got labour pains. The baby was born and lived for a couple of hours,” she testified.
AN said abortion is not allowed in the UAE except for saving the life of the mother. Even in such case, permission of the concerned authorities is needed, she testified.
 

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