A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Delhi has directed a nursing home in the city's Daryaganj area to pay a hefty compensation of Rs 20 lakh to a woman who lost her ability to conceive due to alleged medical negligence and misdiagnosis.
The Commission's Stern Order
In an order dated December 18, 2025, the District Consumer Commission (Central) pulled up the doctor and the nursing home for a "casual approach" in handling a high-risk pregnancy. The panel highlighted that the doctor, identified as Kuljit Kau Gill of the Family Health Care Centre, prescribed medicines "blindly without ruling out complications."
The Commission stated that the doctor failed to investigate the complainant's problem with due diligence, despite her known pregnancy status and high-risk patient history. This negligence, the order noted, caused the woman "irreparable harm and deprivation of her legitimate expectation of motherhood."
While awarding the compensation, the Commission ruled that Rs 20 lakh was a fair and proportionate amount, legally justified and commensurate with the gravity and irreversible consequences of the injury. It also acknowledged that no monetary sum could alleviate the "lifelong pain and emotional suffering" endured by the complainant.
What Happened in the Case?
The case was filed by a woman named Samreen, now 40 years old, who had a history of a spontaneous delivery of dead twin foetuses. In July 2020, after a home urine pregnancy test showed a positive result, she visited the Daryaganj nursing home on July 24 for confirmation.
The Commission found that Dr. Gill confirmed the pregnancy solely based on the urine test without conducting an independent check-up. Samreen was prescribed certain medicines and administered two injections. However, her pain persisted for a month and became unbearable after two months, forcing her to consult another doctor.
Irreversible Damage and Loss
The second doctor's reports revealed a shocking truth: a dead embryo was present in her womb. The situation had escalated to a point where her fallopian tube had to be surgically removed to save her life. Subsequently, Samreen was informed that the extensive internal damage meant she would never be able to conceive again.
The Commission observed that the entire tragedy could have been avoided with timely and appropriate detection of an ectopic pregnancy. This condition occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, cannot develop normally, and requires urgent medical intervention.
"A timely and appropriate treatment could have detected an ectopic pregnancy at an early stage, and permanent deprivation of future motherhood of the complainant could have been avoided. The complainant could have been spared the physical and mental trauma and the financial burden," the order held.
The case underscores the critical importance of thorough medical examination and due diligence, especially in high-risk pregnancy scenarios, to prevent irreversible harm.
