'Devious' woman died after abortion

A WOMAN who died after an abortion had been 'devious and dishonest' in getting a family planning clinic to agree to the termination, a coroner said today. yesterday.

David Hinchliffe, the Leeds coroner, David Hinchliffe was speaking as after an inquest jury returned recorded a verdict of misadventure on Sarbjit Lall, 29, a mother of three daughters, who decided on the abortion after she found she was expecting a fourth girl.

Mrs Lall had earlier paid a private consultant in Manchester for a sex test.

The operation was arranged by a Marie Stopes family planning clinic in Leeds after Mrs Lall, who was 18 weeks pregnant, said she was suffering from depression and could not cope with a fourth child who would put her in financial difficulties.

Susan Firth, the clinic manager, Susan Firth said Marie Stopes, in line with the 1967 Abortion Act, would not have allowed a termination on the grounds of the unborn child's sex.

Mrs Lall, a quality controller of Bradford, West Yorkshire, died last May three days after the abortion at St James's Hospital, Leeds. She had suffered massive internal bleeding, from a perforated uterus, and a cardiac arrest after the operation.

The inquest heard that the perforation was most likely caused by a dilator used during the termination.

But Mr Hinchliffe said: 'I have not throughout the inquiry exposed any evidence of any lack of care on the part of any involved agencies.

'I have exposed evidence of deviousness and dishonesty in seeking to achieve ends by devious and dishonest means.'

Mrs Lall, of Moor Park Drive, Bradford, who had three daughters aged eight, six and five, had earlier paid a private consultant in Manchester for a sex test.

Mrs Lall's 31-year-old husband

Bahader Lall, 31, a joiner, said when his wife found out she was carrying a girl she decided she did not want to give birth. 'I think she wanted a son.' he said.

Before the operation Mrs Lall was told of the risks involved in terminating such a late pregnancy.

Doctors told the inquest they could not detect any problems or any perforation of the uterus after the operation, but in the early hours of the following day Mrs Lall suffered internal bleeding and the heart attack.

A hysterectomy was performed but she failed to recover.

After today's the yesterday's verdict Mr Lall's solicitor, Anthony Cumming, said the family was still very shocked and saddened by the tragedy and and was the family was considering legal proceedings.