Mother left with vaginal swab ‘the size of mini football’ inside her following birth

A young mother has been awarded compensation after a hospital’s mistake left her in agony.

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by Ellie Hooper |
Published on

Claire Lalor has been given £100,000 after she developed a significant infection from a swab being left inside her vagina.

The 30-year-old has just given birth when she started to develop pain and a smell coming from her lower body, but despite attending hospital twice she was not examined.

Stock Image Used
Stock Image Used

Ms Lalor was awarded compensation in Ireland for the injuries and trauma she suffered as a result of the oversight, as the judge in the case ruled that the hurt experienced by the hair dresser was ‘extreme.’

The National Maternity Hospital in Ireland accepted responsibility for the mistake, which occurred on Christmas Eve 2012.

Claire was discharged from the hospital following a difficult birth on December 27, but within days had returned to hospital with concerns over her pain and the smell from her lower body.

She would have to wait a further two weeks however until she was examined, and doctors found the offending swab.

By this stage the 30-year-old was experiencing many signs of infection, including sweating, chills, fever and diarrhoea.

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