Report highlights common ‘never event’ that leaves women at risk of harm after childbirth

Women can be left in severe pain and at risk of infection if swabs and tampons used after childbirth are accidentally left in the vagina. That’s the safety risk the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch highlight in their new report published yesterday.

Vaginal swabs and surgical tampons (larger than tampons used by women during their menstrual cycle) are used to absorb bodily fluids in a number of procedures both in delivery suites and surgical theatres on maternity wards. They are intended to be removed once a procedure is complete.

The report sets out the case of Christine, a 30-year-old woman who had a surgical tampon inserted after the birth of her first child. It was left in and not discovered until five days after leaving hospital. Whilst being in immense pain throughout, Christine saw the community midwife and GP twice before going back to hospital where the swab was found.

Sandy Lewis, HSIB’s Maternity Investigation Programme Director, said: “Although measures have been put in place to reduce the chance of swabs and tampons being left in, it continues to happen, leaving women in pain and distress when they may have already gone through a traumatic labour.

“There are numerous physical effects; pain, bleeding and possible infection, but we can’t forget about the psychological impact as there was in Christine’s case – she had to seek private counselling and felt that what happened affected her ability to bond with her baby."

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Source: Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch, 18 December 2019