Eurice Agbagaa, a 26-year-old visiting worker from Ghana, was in the United States working as a housekeeper. She hoped to study nursing then send back to Ghana for her five-year-old daughter.
Eurice went to Abram Zelikman for a safe, legal abortion at 11:30 a.m. on January 7, 1989. Zelikmanestimated the pregnancy as 11 to 12 weeks. He performed the abortion at about 1pm, then sent Eurice to the recovery room.
Over the next 2 1/2 hours, Eurice bled so heavily that the receptionist, Yolanda Penalzer, became alarmed and asked Zelikman to do something. Zelikman told her that the bleeding was normal and that she should put an ice bag on the patient. He then left the facility, leaving Yolada to care for the patients in recovery.
Yolanda continued to be concerned about Eurice's bleeding, and tried repeatedly to reach Zelikman at his home, but couldn't contact him. Finally, at 4:02 pm, she called an ambulance, telling the 911 operator, "I have a woman who is bleeding and unconscious and in shock."
Over the next 2 1/2 hours, Eurice bled so heavily that the receptionist, Yolanda Penalzer, became alarmed and asked Zelikman to do something. Zelikman told her that the bleeding was normal and that she should put an ice bag on the patient. He then left the facility, leaving Yolada to care for the patients in recovery.
Yolanda continued to be concerned about Eurice's bleeding, and tried repeatedly to reach Zelikman at his home, but couldn't contact him. Finally, at 4:02 pm, she called an ambulance, telling the 911 operator, "I have a woman who is bleeding and unconscious and in shock."
The ambulance crew found Yolanda performing CPR on Eurice, who was in shock. They were able to restore her breathing and transport her to a hospital, where an emergency hysterectomy was done. It was determined that Eurice had actually been at least 19 weeks pregnant. Eurice had a perforated uterus and severed abdominal artery. She had lost approximately 75% of her blood.
Eurice survived the surgery and was put on life support, but remained in a coma until her death in the early morning of January 15.
Zelikman's license was suspended. The medical board noted that he had allowed an unlicensed assistant to administer general anesthesia in his clinic on four occasions.
Eurice isn't the only woman who ended up having an abortion far later in the pregnancy than she intended. read more about **Unintended Late Abortions**.
Eurice survived the surgery and was put on life support, but remained in a coma until her death in the early morning of January 15.
Zelikman's license was suspended. The medical board noted that he had allowed an unlicensed assistant to administer general anesthesia in his clinic on four occasions.
Eurice isn't the only woman who ended up having an abortion far later in the pregnancy than she intended. read more about **Unintended Late Abortions**.
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