In Volgograd, doctor guilty of baby's death punished conditionally

The Court of the Alekseev District of the Volgograd Region has sentenced the obstetrician-gynaecologist of the central district hospital for using a technique at delivery, forbidden by the WHO (World Health Organization), which entailed death of the newborn to 18 months of conditional punishment.

He was convicted under part 2, Articles 109, of the Russian Criminal Code ("Causing death by imprudence due to inadequate execution of one's professional duties").

"He was sentenced to 18 months of conditional imprisonment with the trial period of 2 years," runs the statement of the press service of the Prosecutor's Office of the Volgograd Region.

The"Gazeta.Ru" Agency reports with reference to the materials of investigation that in 2007 the doctor of the Alekseev Central District Hospital applied, at delivery, the Christeller's method, forbidden by the WHO back in 1992, which assumes pressing with hands on the stomach of the lying-in woman to induced a forced passage of the foetus through maternity channels. As a result of doctor's actions the newborn was traumatized (brain haemorrhages and hypostasis) and died.

The Open Information Agency adds that the obstetrician had tried to hide his use of the forbidden method.