Ultrasound Misdiagnosis: Diagnostic Errors in Prenatal Care

An ultrasound scan is a standard part of prenatal care all over the world, including Canada. They help doctors monitor the baby’s development, detect abnormalities early, and guide decisions throughout pregnancy.

Unfortunately, ultrasound can sometimes tell the wrong story due to diagnostic errors. Studies show that diagnostic errors in radiology, including ultrasound, happen in about 3% to 5% of cases. This means thousands of doctors and parents may be making wrong decisions based on inaccurate information.

Ultrasound misdiagnosis is more common than people realize. They are more than just technical mistakes, as a misdiagnosis can permanently shape a life.

In this blog, we will explain what ultrasound misdiagnosis looks like. We will also cover why these errors occur and how to protect your rights after a pregnancy misdiagnosis.

What does ultrasound misdiagnosis really mean?

An ultrasound misdiagnosis comes into place when the results of a prenatal ultrasound are incorrect or misleading. It means something was either missed, misunderstood, or wrongly reported.

Ultrasound imaging is non-invasive and radiation-free. It provides images of the body’s internal structures. During pregnancy, doctors use this tool to track fetal growth, confirm gestational age, and check for birth defects. Sometimes, it is used to reveal the baby’s gender.

Pregnancy misdiagnosis may occur when there are issues with the images, which leads to misinterpretation.

Common Types of Diagnostic Errors in Prenatal Care

Misdiagnosis can happen in different ways, and each one comes with high risks:

• A false positive happens when a scan suggests a problem that is not there. This can cause extreme stress, more testing, and unnecessary procedures.

• A false negative is the opposite. The scan shows everything is fine when it is not. This can delay treatment or stop parents from preparing for a complex birth.

Some diagnostic errors involve misread results:

• The image may be blurry. The angle may be wrong or the doctor may overlook some things. These mistakes can result in ultrasound misdiagnosis.

• Lack of a follow-up is another issue. Doctors can forget to check abnormal findings again, other scans are not ordered, etc.

How Misdiagnosis Can Affect Mother and Baby

A pregnancy misdiagnosis can change everything for both the mother and the baby. The effects can either be immediate or unfold slowly over months or years. For instance, if a doctor misses signs of spina bifida during an ultrasound, the baby can be born with spine damage. In this case, parents are not given the chance to prepare emotionally, financially, or medically.

There are also ectopic pregnancies. This occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus. A misdiagnosis here places mothers at risk.

Whether it is a missed condition or an unnecessary intervention, a pregnancy misdiagnosis affects how a family moves forward. Guilt, grief, anger, and fear can set in. Many families may struggle to trust medical professionals again.

Is human error or machine failure behind ultrasound misdiagnosis?

In Canada, ultrasound misdiagnosis can be a mix of system failures and human error.

• Overworked staff: When doctors and technicians are rushed, tired, or stretched too thin, important details get missed. Follow-ups are forgotten.

• Communication breakdowns: Lack of detailed communication between departments or team members can be a major cause. A report may be sent late. In common cases, a concern may go unspoken.

• Old ultrasound machines: If a hospital holds on to old or poorly maintained ultrasound machines, low-quality images can be produced. This makes it harder to see what is going on internally. Inaccurate images can cause a misdiagnosis.

• Misread scans: To read and interpret an ultrasound takes time and full attention. In busy hospitals in Ontario, this might not always be possible. It takes just one misread image to become a full pregnancy misdiagnosis.

Additionally, notes may be unclear, while records can also go missing. These problems increase the risk of diagnostic errors.

When does misdiagnosis become medical negligence?

According to Ontario law, not every ultrasound misdiagnosis is considered malpractice. When a healthcare professional fails to meet an acceptable standard of care and causes harm, it may be grounds for a medical negligence claim.

In Ontario, medical negligence is based on three elements: duty of care, breach of standard, and cause of harm:

1. Duty of care: Doctors, nurses, and ultrasound operators owe patients a legal duty of care. That means they must provide treatments that meet the standard expectations of a reasonably competent practitioner in similar circumstances.
2. Breach of standard: This happens when standards are not met. For instance, if a sonographer misreads an ultrasound or a doctor ignores warning signs in a scan, they may have failed to act as another trained professional would. Faulty equipment and a lack of training can also count.
3. Cause of harm: For a pregnancy misdiagnosis to become negligence, there must be provable harm. This includes a delayed C-section,missed birth defect, or lifelong complications like spina bifida and cerebral palsy (CP).

Ontario law also grants patients the right to pursue compensation if diagnostic errors cause preventable injury.

Who to Consult When Negligence Causes an Ultrasound Misdiagnosis

When ultrasound misdiagnosis is caused by medical negligence, time matters—so does expertise. These are not issues to face alone. A qualified medical malpractice lawyer should be your first call. However, it should not just be any lawyer; it must be someone who understands both medicine and the law.

The reason is that proving negligence in misdiagnosis takes more than emotion. It requires clear proof that the health provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care in Canada and this led to harm.

That is no small task. Medical records, ultrasound imaging, timelines, and expert testimony are used to build strong cases. Only an experienced and reliable lawyer knows how to gather and use them.

At Sommers Roth & Elmaleh, this is what we do. We are one of Canada’s most experienced medical negligence firms. Our compassionate lawyers have supported families across Ontario, Calgary, Vancouver, and beyond. We have helped parents uncover the truth and hold health providers accountable for their negligence.

Everyone at Sommers Roth & Elmaleh knows exactly how risky a pregnancy misdiagnosis can be, alongside its aftereffects. This is why we treat every case with compassion and urgency. We do not make promises we cannot keep, but we do promise to fight for your rights.

Reach out to us today at 1-844-940-2386 or contact us online so we can discuss your situation and help you understand available options to take action on ultrasound misdiagnosis.