Six weeks of pain and foul smell after delivery: Doctor finds cotton left inside 21-year-old at Thrissur government hospital

Thrissur: A complaint alleging medical negligence has been filed against Chavakkad Taluk Hospital after a 21-year-old woman claimed that a cotton pad used during childbirth was left inside her vagina and remained there for around a month and a half.

The woman, a native of Munakkakkadavu in Kadappuram, gave birth to a baby girl at the hospital on the morning of August 18. According to her complaint, she continued to experience pain, bleeding-related discomfort and a foul smell even after being discharged.

She has submitted complaints to Health Minister K. Muraleedharan, the District Collector and the District Medical Officer (DMO), seeking action against those responsible.

Woman alleges cotton was left behind after childbirth

Recounting the incident, the woman said she was initially shifted to the ward after a normal delivery, as she had not undergone a caesarean section.

However, she experienced bleeding within an hour and was taken back to the labour room. According to her account, the stitches around the affected area were removed and the cotton placed there was taken out.

She alleged that the pain and foul smell continued even after her discharge from the hospital. Around 10 days later, she returned to Chavakkad Taluk Hospital and consulted the doctor who had conducted the delivery.

She said she was prescribed different medicines on the assumption that she had developed an infection, but her physical discomfort did not improve.

On September 29, her family took her to a private clinic, where another doctor examined her and reportedly discovered that cotton remained inside her vaginal area. The material was subsequently removed.

Doctor says cotton was removed after bleeding stopped

Dr Dito Tom, who conducted the delivery, said cotton had been placed during childbirth because of bleeding. He stated that it was removed after the bleeding stopped and that he was unaware of what happened afterwards.

The doctor also said the assistants present during the procedure were responsible for placing and removing the cotton.

Meanwhile, hospital superintendent Dr A. Shajkumar has submitted a report to the District Medical Officer seeking an investigation into the complaint.

The DMO has appointed a team to examine the incident. The team is expected to visit the hospital and conduct an inquiry.

The allegations are yet to be established through the investigation. Further findings are expected to clarify how the cotton was allegedly left behind, whether the hospital followed the required procedures and whether there were lapses in the patient's subsequent treatment.

Why the complaint raises questions about childbirth care

The incident raises concerns about the procedures followed during and after childbirth, particularly the handling and accounting of medical materials used to control bleeding.

Cotton gauze and other materials may be used during childbirth to manage bleeding. However, healthcare teams must ensure that all materials used during a procedure are accounted for and removed when no longer required.

The woman's account also raises questions about the assessment of her symptoms when she returned to the hospital. Persistent pain and foul-smelling discharge after childbirth require appropriate clinical evaluation to identify the underlying cause.

At this stage, the complaint alone does not establish medical negligence or identify individual responsibility. The inquiry by the District Medical Officer will be important in determining whether proper procedures were followed during delivery and subsequent consultations.

The findings could also help establish whether the hospital's internal protocols for tracking medical materials and monitoring patients after childbirth need to be reviewed.