Fetus Accidentally Put In Trash Compactor
 

Calgary Hospital Threw Out Fetal Remains

Canada - A Calgary hospital accidentally threw out the remains of a miscarried, four-month-old fetus.

The Calgary Health Region has apologized to the family, it said in a press release issued Saturday.

Tarin Alvarez was rushed to the Peter Lougheed Centre on Oct. 4 with the remains after she delivered at home.

She was taken to emergency and then transferred to an in-patient unit.

"Unfortunately, the remains of this patient's pregnancy were not transferred into a container with a proper label that would have identified it as tissue to be sent to the laboratory" for investigation, the region said in the release.

"In this case, the remains were inadvertently discarded," said Janet Umphrey, a vice-president with the health authority.

A nurse told Alvarez the remains had been put into a trash compactor and couldn't be recovered.

"We will review our systems and practices to see what changes can be made," Umphrey said