Diagnostic Centre Held Guilty of Negligence in Missing Foetal Abnormality
Hyderabad: The Rangareddy District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a diagnostic centre in Hyderabad to pay ₹2.2 lakh for issuing an incorrect antenatal scan report. The commission observed that the error could have had serious consequences for both the mother and the foetus.
The bench ordered the centre to refund ₹1,700 collected for the scan, pay ₹2 lakh as compensation for medical negligence, and an additional ₹20,000 towards litigation costs. The order came after the complainant alleged deficiency in service and mental trauma caused by the inaccurate report.
According to a report by The Siasat Daily, the woman visited her gynaecologist on March 15, 2024, for a routine antenatal check-up. The doctor suspected a possible cyst in the foetal neck and advised a Nuchal Translucency (NT) scan for further evaluation.
She underwent the NT scan the following day at a diagnostic centre in Dilsukhnagar. The report recorded an NT value of 1.8 mm and described the findings as normal, failing to mention any cyst or abnormality in the foetus.
Doubting the accuracy of the report, the patient opted for a repeat scan at another diagnostic facility in Kothapet two days later. The second scan reportedly revealed an 11 mm cyst on the left side of the foetus’s neck — a significant abnormality that had been missed in the earlier examination.
Doctors informed her that reliance on the initial report could have posed serious health risks to both the mother and the unborn child. Acting on medical advice, she underwent a medical termination of pregnancy on March 22, 2024.
In July 2024, the woman approached the consumer commission alleging diagnostic negligence, financial loss and mental distress. The diagnostic centre defended itself by claiming that the cyst was not visible at the time of the NT scan.
However, after examining the medical records and evidence, the commission held that the failure to detect the abnormality amounted to medical negligence and deficiency in service. It directed the diagnostic centre to pay the compensation and refund as ordered, underscoring the responsibility of diagnostic facilities in ensuring accurate reporting.
