Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Medical Procedures.

Noel Ahern

Question:

517 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has examined complaints or carried out any inquiries into the after effects of medical procedures which were carried out in the National Maternity Hospital in the 1960s whereby women's pelvises were severed; if he will report on the situation; the number of women who were involved; the length of time this procedure was carried out; if the medical condition of these women has been tracked since; if any legal actions have been taken or threatened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21771/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

Arising from concerns about the use of symphysiotomy in obstetrical practice in the past, the chief medical officer, CMO, at my Department asked the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for its comments and advice on the matter.

The institute represents obstetrical and gynaecological opinion in Ireland, acts as an advisory body on matters relating to education, research and administration in the specialty and seeks to raise standards in obstetrics and gynaecology in this country.

The institute has replied to the CMO and confirms that from around 1920 until around 1960 symphysiotomy procedures were carried out on selected patients, mainly in the National Maternity Hospital and the Coombe Hospital. Excellent results were claimed for this procedure, which had the effect of permanently enlarging the pelvis and allowing women to undergo normal delivery. This was at a time when caesarean section had a high mortality rate due to sepsis. Sepsis was one of the leading causes of maternal death at that time. The institute states that, in properly conducted cases, complications were rare. Published medical reports of the time indicate favourable results for the procedure. Many of the cases referred to in these reports were emergency admissions with obstructed labour where sepsis following caesarean section would have carried a significant risk of maternal death.

The institute states that from 1950 onwards, the operation of symphysiotomy for obstructed labour was replaced by the modern caesarean section. Antibiotics were available by then to treat infection and sepsis was less of a hazard.

The House will appreciate that we must be cautious about judging procedures and interventions which were used in previous generations in the light of current knowledge and experience. Enormous medical advances have been made since the 1950s and 1960s and medical care and procedures were not as advanced then as they are in Ireland today.

Statistics on the number of women who underwent a symphysiotomy in the National Maternity Hospital are not available in my Department. However, I have asked the regional chief executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority to take up this matter with the National Maternity Hospital and to reply directly to the Deputy. I have also asked the ERHA to establish when the use of symphysiotomy in obstetric practice ceased at the National Maternity Hospital.

I am not aware of any compensation claims to date in respect of women who underwent a symphysiotomy in Ireland.