Lime 5: Hysterectomy

Death I already covered and had documented

Dr. Edward Allred

On December 15, 1984, Mary Pena underwent a safe and legal abortion at San Vincente Hospital in Los Angeles. She had thought that she was 3 months pregnant, but doctors discovered she was at 22 weeks. After the procedure, Mary was bleeding so heavily that a hysterectomy was performed in an effort to save her life. The surgery was not successful, and at 1:50 am on December 16, 1984, she died while on the operating table. San Vicente owner, Dr. Edward Allred, slipped Mary's body past the coroner without an autopsy. However, when her death certificate was taken to Kern County Health Department they refused to accept it and contacted the Los Angeles Coroner. Mary's body was brought to LA County for an autopsy. Only then was it revealed that she had bled to death from cervical lacerations. Once a cause for the fatal hemorrhage was determined, the death certificate was accepted, and Mary was laid to rest. San Vicente had been purchased by National Abortion Federation member Family Planning Associates Medical Group shortly before Mary's death. Other women known to have died after abortion at Allred's facilities include: Denise Holmes in 1970, Natalie Meyers in 1972, Patricia Chacon in 1984, Josefina Garcia in 1985, Laniece Dorsey in 1986, Joyce Ortenzio and Tami Suematsu in 1988, Deanna Bell and Susan Levy in 1992, Christina Mora in 1994, Ta Tanisha Wesson in 1995, Nakia Jorden in 1998, Maria Leho in 1999, Kimberly Neil and Maria Rodriguez in 2000, Chanelle Bryant in 2004, and "Kyla Ellis" in 2014.

Non-fatal case for which I have documents:

In their April 4, 1991 episode, CBS's 60 Minutes covered the ordeal of Susanne Logan, who was left mute and paralyzed after an abortion performed by Gideon Kioko at Hillview Women's Medical Center in Maryland (Acme Reproductive Services 33). They also covered the case of 19-year-old "Linda," whose boyfriend described the situation: He said that clinic owner Barbara Lofton, who was passing herself off as a doctor, met him when he came to the clinic to pick Linda up. Lofton told him that the doctor had hit an artery. "I went in the back and they had a sheet wrapped around her bottom, like a baby diaper. And she was just blood everywhere covered. She was just laying in her own blood." Linda nearly bled to death and had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy to save her life. 

Non-fatal cases for which I need source documents:

"Gladys" went to a Planned Parenthood in July of 1973. They referred her to Acme Reproductive Services 36, where she underwent an abortion by John Roe 226. Roe noted that Gladys sustained minimal blood loss and tolerated the procedure well. However, he had performed an incomplete abortion. Gladys required a second procedure, then two days later had to undergo a hysterectomy. (Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. C64484)

"Bonnie" underwent an abortion performed by Erma Roe 85 in St. Louis, Missouri on July 18, 1978. During the procedure, Roe called another doctor in, but Roe had such a thick accent that Bonnie had trouble understanding what was being said. "They were awfully excited and jumping around, and I was scared to death." Bonnie remembered screaming, but then her memories became blurred. She was moved to the recovery room with "the second batch" of abortion patients and given pills to take and later told she could get dressed and go home. Two weeks later Bonnie started to hemorrhage while at a concert. At first she thought she was just menstruating but by the time she got to her van, "there was blood sloshing in and out of my shoes, and I was still trying to convince myself this was just a heavy period, that everything was going to be all right." She lay down in the van and covered up with a blanket, but soon realized that she was in trouble. She started honking the horn to summon help. A policeman came over and when he saw how badly she was bleeding he "started screaming on his little walkie-talkie for them to get an ambulance there immediately." Bonnie was rushed to the hospital for an emergency hysterectomy and remained hospitalized for a week. (St. Louis MO Circuit Court Cause No. 802 02960)

"Carole" was 36 years old when she had an abortion performed by John Roe 288 in 1978. She suffered a perforated uterus and required a hysterectomy and the removal of her left Fallopian tube and ovary. She also sustained nerve damage resulting in permanent numbness and tingling in her left leg. (Nassau County NY Supreme Court Case No. 1151/80)

On January 17, 1981, "Judy" went to Acme Reproductive Services 25 for an abortion. By April, she concluded that she was still pregnant and called the clinic. She returned on April 8 for a second abortion procedure, but they were not equipped to do abortions as advanced in the pregnancy as Judy was at that time. They referred her to Harold Hoke (John Roe 436) in North Carolina. Judy and her husband scheduled an appointment for 8:00 the next morning. Hoke performed a procedure -- likely a lethal injection -- and gave Judy several injections which he said would induce labor. After several hours she still hadn't gone into labor so Holk told her to run to the procedure room. She did so, but passed out when she got there. Meanwhile her husband, "Mike," was waiting in the recovery room. Every time he checked at the front desk, staff told him she was fine and recovering. After seven hours, Mike insisted on seeing his wife. It was then that staff called an ambulance. By the time Judy got to the hospital she was in shock with no measurable blood pressure. When surgeons opened her abdomen they found it full of blood from a 3 1/2 inch hole in her uterus through which a 22-week fetus had been shoved into her abdomen. Parts of Jane's intestines were also lacerated. It took surgeons five hours to remove Judy's mangled uterus and repair her intestines. She required multiple blood transfusions. Fortunately Judy survived her ordeal and was discharged from the hospital on April 16. (Chattanooga Circuit Course Case No. N-26762)

Dr. Milan Vuitch

"Andrea" went to Laurel Clinic (Acme Reproductive Services 18) on January 8, 1981. Dr. Milan Vuitch (John Roe 670) performed an abortion, lacerating Andrea's uterus. Then, in violation of state law, Vuitch brought to an area of his home that he designated the "Clinic Annex." Two days later he took her back to the clinic then discharged her. The next day she went to the emergency room reporting severe pain. Exploratory surgery revealed a laceration through her vagina into her abdominal cavity, where surgeons found a mass of necrotic fetal tissue. Doctors had to remove Andrea's damaged uterus. (Washington DC Court of Appeals Case No. 82-1077) Vuitch is the doctor who had performed the fatal abortions on Wilma Harris and Georgianna English.

"Roxanne" went to a clinic in Pennsylvania on December 29, 1984 for a 16-week abortion. She was transferred to a hospital where surgeons found blood in her stomach, a large hematoma encompassing the whole pelvic sidewall, and tissue extruding through a three-inch uterine laceration. A surgeon treating Roxanne noted that it was "virtually impossible to repair the defect and also to repair the uterine artery and vein that was traumatized by the abortion. Therefore a hysterectomy was performed." (Allegheny County PA Court of Common Pleas Case No. GD86-21097)

"Tamera" went to Women's Health Organization Fargo, North Dakota on May 10, 1991. Dr. Robert Lucy (John Roe 452) performed the abortion. Afterward, Tamera bled profusely. Her blood pressure plummeted and she drifted in and out of consciousness. She said that the clinic staff told her to squeeze her legs together and attempt to clench her vagina, as if this would somehow halt internal bleeding. When staff tried to move her, Tamara gushed blood. Her friend demanded that Tamera be taken to a hospital. Instead, Lucy insisted on performing another D&C to try to stop the bleeding. Tamera's friend again demanded that staff "do something." However, during this period the Fargo WHO was experiencing a lot of intense anti-abortion protesting, so they waited for the protesters to leave before calling an ambulance. By then, it had been 5 1/2 hours since Tamera was injured. Tamera later recalled being wheeled into the emergency room with people around her shouting, "We're losing her, we're losing her." Tamera needed several blood transfusions and an emergency hysterectomy. ("'Reluctant' woman's suit claims abortion botched," Bismarck Tribune, October 13, 1991; NEEDED: Cass County District Court Civil Case No. 901491)

Watch Lime 5: Hysterectomy on YouTube.