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Doctor fined for mistaken hysterectomy on pregnant woman

Published  August 19, 2015 8:10am PDT
Associated Press

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut gynecologist has been fined $5,000 for mistakenly performing a hysterectomy on a patient he didn't know was pregnant.

The state Medical Examining Board issued the fine against Dr. Jonathan Foster on Tuesday.

Foster performed a laparoscopic hysterectomy, a procedure that removes the uterus, on the woman at Saint Mary's Hospital in Waterbury in January 2011.

A consent order Foster signed in July says he failed to detect the pregnancy before the operation.

The order says he relied on the patient's belief that she wasn't pregnant. While he did perform a pregnancy test, the order says the result couldn't be determined either way.

Foster didn't contest the board's findings and waived his right to a hearing, which means he accepted the terms to keep his license.