The availability of newer techniques has reduced the complications in medically terminated pregnancies; however, the deaths due to illegal abortions carried out by the clandestine abortion practitioners still poses a challenge, especially in rural areas. Mostly due to lake of awareness, social fear a pregnant woman fall prey to the quacks and readies herself for an illegal pregnancy termination. The common complications of the abortion like incomplete abortion, haemorrhage, sepsis, etc. are usually handled successfully by the gynaecologist; however, they often miss early detection of rare complications like necrotising fasciitis leading to death of the patient. We report a case of illegal abortion which developed sepsis and necrotising fasciitis of right lower limb due to intra-vaginal use of abortifacient herbs prescribed by a clandestine abortion practitioner. The case was succumbed to the complications of sepsis/necrotising fasciitis after a week of hospitalization. This led to negligence tort filed by her family members against the treating gynaecologist alleging that the delayed diagnosis and treatment for necrotising fasciitis led to the death of the woman. We have discussed here about the prudent medicolegal and medical steps on the part of the treating gynaecologist that could have prevented such sequel.
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