A Champaign doctor who was sued for leaving part of a fetus inside the body of a woman during an abortion procedure has been fined by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
A medical negligence lawsuit was filed against Dr. Keith Reisinger-Kindle of Equity Clinic in March by an Indiana woman identified as Jane Doe, who went to Reisinger-Kindle for an abortion in April 2023.
The suit, which is still pending, claims that Reisinger-Kindle left half of the fetus inside her body and perforated her uterus during the procedure.
Reisinger-Kindle was fined $5,000 and must complete 20 hours of continuing medical education “for failing to properly evaluate a patient before a procedure which resulted in hospitalization due to complications,” according to the May 16 disciplinary action filed by the state.
Reisinger-Kindle could not be reached for comment.
The woman, a mother of four, visited Reisinger-Kindle on April 1 and April 2, 2023. Following her abortion, Reisinger-Kindle reported that a final examination confirmed that the woman’s uterus was empty and “products of conception were visibly inspected and confirmed to be complete,” the suit said.
The woman was discharged, but the next day she called the clinic to report heavy cramping, the suit claims. She was told to take Tylenol or ibuprofen and some laxatives.
On April 4 she reported that she was still experiencing cramping. She was then told to have an enema or go to the emergency room. That day she went to Community Hospital South Emergency Room in Indianapolis.
There, parts of the fetus were found in her right pelvis and were surgically removed, according to the suit. Other parts that “were adhered” to the patient’s intestines were also removed.
It also appeared that Reisinger-Kindle had perforated her uterus — leaving a hole the size of a quarter.
The lawsuit states that the following day, Reisinger-Kindle refused to answer questions or share information with one of the surgeons who assisted in the surgical removal procedure, claiming he didn’t have the patient’s permission. However, when he later spoke with the woman that same day, he did not mention the earlier exchange with the surgeon.
A medical report submitted with the filings states that, in the obstetrician/gynecologist’s professional opinion, Reisinger-Kindle “deviated from a reasonable standard of care” by perforating the patient’s uterus without realizing it and by failing to properly examine the fetal remains after the abortion procedure.