Cheshire Woman Unable To Have Children After Coil Left Inside Body For 29 Years Receives Settlement

Lawyers have secured a settlement for a woman unable to have children after she was unaware a contraceptive coil had been left inside her body for 29 years. 

Jayne Huddleston was told by a GP in 1990 that a coil she had fitted around a year earlier had fallen out. 

Jayne, of Wistaston, near Crewe, had another device fitted – meaning she had two coils inserted.  Two years later when she and husband David wanted to have children the  second device was removed but the first remained. 

For many years Jayne suffered with symptoms including heavy periods, bleeding, stomach pain and infections. She was unable to conceive. 

Couple spent thousands of pounds on failed IVF treatment

Jayne and David then underwent eight failed rounds of IVF, including six privately funded rounds costing them thousands of pounds, in the hope of having a baby together. 

Jayne’s remaining copper coil was picked up in 2019 during scans she underwent after complaining of back pain. She underwent surgery under general anaesthetic to remove the device. 

Jayne asks medical negligence lawyers to investigate after coil fitted 29 years earlier found 

Following the discovery of the coil, Jayne, now aged 63, instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate.  

She has now spoken for the first time about the impact the issue has had on her life. 

Lawyers secure settlement for Jayne and David

It comes after Irwin Mitchell secured Jayne a six-figure out of court settlement from the GP’s insurers. It denied liability on behalf of the GP who has retired.

The settlement will help compensate for the private IVF treatment Jayne and David, 61, underwent. It will also allow them to receive specialist support to try and come to terms with the psychological impact of not being able to have children together. 

Expert Opinion

“This is an incredibly unusual but equally disturbing case which has had a devastating impact on Jayne and David.

“Not only did Jayne suffer serious physical complications for more than 25 years, tragically we believe she and David were denied the chance of having the baby they so longed for and consequently had to endure the psychological upset of numerous failed IVF attempts.

“We believe that if Jayne had undergone more thorough investigations and had been sent for an X-ray her coil would have been found and removed, meaning she wouldn’t have had to go through the ordeal she has.

“While nothing can make up for what Jayne and David have been through, we’re pleased that we’ve been able to secure this settlement, allowing them to access the specialist support they require to try and overcome what happened the best they can.” Zoe Donohue

Jayne and David Huddleston's story

Jayne, who had a son Darren, 38, from a previous relationship, had the copper coil fitted in May 1989. Following a routine smear test in June 1990 she was told there was no sign of it. Jayne was referred for an ultrasound which was clear. 

Following an appointment with the GP shortly afterwards, Jayne was told the coil had fallen out and had another fitted. She started to suffer with symptoms and visited the GP several times. However, Jayne said she was told her symptoms were hormonal and she wasn’t referred for further tests, including an X-ray.    

She had the second coil removed in March 1992 as she and David, who met in 1989, wanted to have a child. 

However, they struggled to conceive. In 1995 the couple were referred for tests and recommended to try IVF, undergoing eight rounds between then and 2002.

Jayne sought medical advice for back pain in 2019. During an appointment a smear test was also carried out, during which a doctor believed she had seen a coil. A scan confirmed the device. 

Jayne reveals impact care issues had on her life 

Jayne said: “After the coil, which I now know was the second one, was inserted in 1990 I started to suffer with symptoms. It wasn’t nice at all. I remember visiting my GP on several occasions and being told it was just hormonal. 

“However, after the second device was removed we struggled to conceive. I remember the GP checked my hormone levels and I was told that they were normal. 

“Me and David tried everything we could think of but nothing happened and we were referred to specialists who suggested IVF. 

“Even after initial failed cycles the doctors didn’t seem too concerned. They said we had good quality embryos and I also had proven fertility. I remember at one stage David even asking the doctor whether they were sure a coil wasn’t still there? We were told no it would have shown up on a scan. 

“Despite further attempts I didn’t fall pregnant. We gave ourselves a cut-off point and decided we couldn’t face the emotion of going through further attempts. 

Jayne added: “When I was told in 2019 after the scan that they could see the coil I couldn’t believe it. I was devastated. I was crying and could only think about the babies me and David should have had. It was just a complete shock. 

“All me and David wanted was to have a child together to make out family complete. I couldn’t believe that we had had so many cycles of IVF. Everything we went through, all of the emotion, then having to pick ourselves up to try again just felt like a waste. It felt like it was all for nothing because I still had a coil in place. 

“While following surgery to remove the coil my symptoms have gone I’m not sure we’ll ever get over the psychological pain of the last 30 years. I just hope that by speaking out I can raise awareness of the issues we’ve faced to hopefully mean others don’t have to go through what we have.” 

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