Anniversary: NAF abortion leads to hysterectomy, colostomy

Aretta H. sued after being admitted to Midtown Hospital in Atlanta for a second-trimester abortion to be performed by Dr. Edwarm M. Portman January 30, 1993. Aretta faulted Portman with failure to dilate her cervix sufficiently. He then "failed to immediately stop the procedure and initiate a new course of action once the considerable amount of scar tissue and resistance was encountered upon entrance into the uterine cavity." Aretta suffered uterine and bowel perforations. The fetal head was pushed into her abdominal cavity. She had to have a hysterectomy and colostomy. Even her appendix was so badly damaged it had to be removed. She required additional hospitalization to have her bowel function restored, to have adhesions in her pelvis sofetned and removed, and to have a bladder laceration repaired. The suit also faulted Portman with failure to take appropriate precautions necessitated by Aretta's history of previous C-sections and no vaginal deliveries. Midtown was a member of the National Abortion Federation. (Fulton County State Court Civil Action File No. 94VS94495E)