Whanganui District Health Board has apologised to a young woman who underwent surgery as a result of an ectopic pregnancy and who did not receive adequate information about the placental tissue being sent away for testing.

An ectopic pregnancy is a potentially life-threatening situation, in which the foetus grows in the fallopian tube, rather than the ovary.

Questions were raised by the woman when she discovered the placental tissue had been sent to Medlab in Palmerston North for testing, which is a routine procedure for any tissue which is removed from any patient, unless the patient refuses.

General Manager Jeanette Woltman-Black said there was a clear failing on our part to fully communicate and obtain full consent from this patient.

“While we did provide information about the ectopic pregnancy, we did not adequately inform her about the need for tissue testing and what that meant. We are grateful to the woman concerned for raising these issues with us, as we now know that we have to clarify with the patient that they have understood what we have said to them.”

Mrs Woltman- Black says the placental tissue was sent away to Medlab in Palmerston North on the 16 June and returned to Wanganui Hospital on the 23rd June as requested by the patient and ourselves.

“We do not have any concerns about the length of time the testing took, as seven days including a weekend is quite a reasonable period,” said Mrs Woltman-Black.

Mrs Woltman-Black said we have already verbally apologised to her, and this will be followed immediately by a written apology.