Telangana Woman Loses IVF Twins After Alleged Video Call Delivery

In a heart-wrenching case from Telangana's Rangareddy district, a young woman lost her twin babies during childbirth under circumstances that have sparked widespread outrage and questions about medical accountability. Batti Keerthi, a 26-year-old woman from Eliminedu village, had been carrying twins conceived through IVF, an outcome the family had awaited for over seven years. On the early morning of May 4, she experienced severe abdominal discomfort and was rushed to a local private hospital, Vijaya Laxmi Hospital, where she had been receiving prenatal care.

Nurses Allegedly Acted on Remote Instructions

What unfolded next has shocked the community and triggered official scrutiny. According to reports, the on-duty doctor, Dr. Anusha Reddy, was not present at the facility when the woman went into labour. Instead, she allegedly guided the nurses via a video call to manage the case. The nurses, acting on the doctor's remote instructions, administered an injection, after which complications arose, and the woman delivered the twins. Tragically, both babies were declared dead by the time the doctor arrived at the hospital. Her husband and family claim the doctor only reached the hospital after the babies were delivered and declared dead.

The distraught family, already emotionally invested after a long IVF journey, alleged gross negligence on the part of the hospital staff. Protests broke out outside the hospital as local residents joined the family in demanding accountability. The police have registered a case against the doctor and the attending nurses under charges of negligence, and the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) B Venkateswar Rao has since sealed the hospital for investigation.

Health officials have voiced concern over the absence of the doctor during a critical delivery, calling the decision to oversee such a sensitive procedure via video "unprofessional and risky."

Negligence or Oversight

This heartbreaking case underscores a critical and growing concern in India's healthcare sector: the over-reliance on remote consultation during critical medical procedures. While technology is a powerful tool in healthcare, there are moments, like childbirth, that demand more than digital convenience. They demand human presence, accountability, and hands-on care. The loss of two young lives due to a remote delivery setup isn't just a technical failure, it's a moral one.

It reminds us that in the pursuit of efficiency, healthcare systems must never forget the core ethic of medicine, to be there when it matters the most. No family should have to suffer such irreversible loss due to casual decision-making in care. Accountability isn't just necessary, it's non-negotiable.

Personal views expressed by the author are their own.