A Nijmegen woman is taking an abortion clinic to court for performing her abortion. The woman claims that the medical team failed to evaluate her mental state before conducting a procedure she was not sure about.
“This should never have happened,” she says.
Now, the 33-year-old is taking the Arnhem abortion clinic to the disciplinary court, reports AD.
“Everything happened in a daze”
The incident dates back to 2023.
The woman says she arrived at the clinic feeling overwhelmed, carrying a bag of her own vomit from the car ride.
After a consultation and an ultrasound, the woman was given medication for the abortion.
Within an hour, the fourteen-week fetus was removed.
“It all happened in a daze,” she told the Regional Disciplinary Board for Healthcare in Zwolle.
Before the procedure
How did the woman end up in the clinic? After facing severe abdominal pain, a friend suggested taking a pregnancy test.
To the woman’s shock, it was positive.
She contacted the father, who didn’t want to keep the pregnancy, and soon after called the abortion clinic.
Following a phone consultation, she was given an appointment five days later.
Once presented with the consent form, the Nijmegen local says she signed it without thinking.
She also didn’t check the boxes that confirmed she had read the form, but no one picked up on this.
Although she believed her pregnancy to be in its early stages, an ultrasound showed otherwise. The woman was already 14 weeks along.
She never got to see the ultrasound image, something that her lawyer argues should have happened.
What’s happening now?
The doctor, nurse, and clinic manager were all present at the disciplinary tribunal.
The clinic insisted they acted in good faith, noting that the woman had initiated contact herself and showed no signs of hesitation during the consultation.
Why would a doctor perform an abortion if there were any indication that the patient was unwilling?
READ MORE | The ultimate guide to gynaecology, birth control, and check-ups in the Netherlands
The attending nurse acknowledged that the woman was looking straight ahead and seemed a bit sad.
However, according to the nurse speaking at the tribunal, “That’s not unusual. We see it often.”
Since the procedure, the woman has lost her job and now relies on social welfare. She attributes her current personal and financial struggles to the abortion.
The disciplinary board, a court that ensures professional ethics, is expected to deliver its ruling within six weeks.
What do you think of the woman’s decision to take them to court? Tell us in the comments.
