HYDERABAD: A few minutes after rejoicing over the birth of their newborns, two couples sank into doubts as male and female babies were allegedly swapped by a ward boy at Area Hospital in Patancheru on Monday morning. Blood samples would be collected from the newborns and the couples for DNA testing to determine parents of the babies.
On Monday morning, two women Saraswati (23), and Archana (22), underwent cesarean delivery at the Area Hospital on Monday morning. Saraswati delivered a boy at around 11.20 am and Archana delivered a girl at 12.08 pm. However, both the babies were handed over to Archana’s family, plunging all those involved in confusion. Usually, soon after a baby is born, it’s cleaned up and a tag is attached to its ankle.
The tag contains details including names of parents, in-patient number of the mother and date and time of delivery. A similar tag is also put on the mothers to avoid confusions. “However, in this case, the tags were not tied,” admitted Sangareddy DMHO Dr MR Rathod. The gynaecologist, anaesthetists and paediatrician who performed the delivery have noted down all details, including sex of the newborns in case sheets.
The official said that after the issue came to light, parents were explained of the situation and babies were handed over to biological parents. “We want to weed out all forms of doubts. So we contacted Forensic Science Laboratory to know the way samples have to be sent for DNA test. We were informed that the parents and newborns have to be brought to the FSL. Since the women underwent caesarean delivery, it will take some time to take them to the laboratory,” said Dr N Vasundhara, superintendent of the Area Hospital.