A young mother-of two has tragically died after having a ‘routine’ surgical abortion at a women’s health clinic in Melbourne.
Harjit Kaur, 30, had just landed a new IT job with footwear giant Nike and was preparing to buy a family home with her husband, Sukhjinder Singh, where they could raise their four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.
But their plans were thrown into disarray when she discovered in early January she had accidentally fallen pregnant.
The busy mum felt she was not mentally, physically and financially ready to have a third child, so the couple made the tough decision to have an abortion.
After consulting with a doctor, they scheduled the surgery – which is considered a minor procedure – for January 12 at Hampton Park Women’s Health Clinic, in Melbourne’s south-east.
Ms Kaur messaged her husband at 12.57pm that Friday as she was heading into the operation room and assured him she would call after her procedure.
Instead, it was Ms Kaur’s surgeon, Dr Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Lopes, who called Mr Singh just over an hour later.
‘He told me the procedure was successful but, while they were moving her into the general ward, her heartbeat stopped and there was an ambulance there giving her CPR,’ Mr Singh said.
Harjit Kaur, 30, (pictured with her two young children, two and four) tragically died after having a ‘routine’ surgical abortion at a women’s health clinic in Melbourne

Ms Kaur attended Hampton Park Women’s Clinic (pictured) for the procedure on January 12
‘I don’t know how I drove my car to get there.
‘I tried to enter the general ward but they stopped me and asked me to stay outside. Five minutes later the doctor came to me and said, “Sorry your wife is dead”.
‘I was dead then. My life destroyed in a second.
Mr Singh described the harrowing moment he was finally let in to see his wife one last time.
‘I begged her to come back for [the sake of] our little kids,’ he said.
An investigation is now underway to determine the cause of Ms Kaur’s death, with police and the coroner involved in the case.
Daily Mail Australia understands Dr Lopes stood down voluntarily pending clearance of any surgical cause of death.
With many crucial questions to be answered, Mr Singh has been left alone to raise two children after the death of his ‘super healthy wife’.

Her devastated husband Sukhjinder Singh is struggling to comprehend what his future will look like without his wife
In a cruel twist of fate, Ms Kaur had originally planned to have a medical abortion – which involves taking a medication to abort the fetus.
However, during consultation with a nurse, she was told the procedure would lead to heavy bleeding and pain which could last for 30 days.
Ms Kaur was also told there was no guarantee it would work, in which case, surgery would then be needed.
‘After all that, Harjit got scared and told me it seemed risky. [She said] as I’m working and taking care of our kids, how will I manage this bleeding – and still there is a risk,’ Mr Singh said.
‘[That’s when] she decided to go for surgery instead. The nurse explained it was very safe and that she would be able to go home in a couple of hours.’
Mr Singh said he and Ms Kaur married in 2018, settling in Australia to ‘give our kids a good life’.

Daily Mail Australia understands Dr Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Lopes (pictured) stood down voluntarily pending clearance of any surgical cause of death
Now, without her, he has no idea what the future will look like for their family.
‘She was so young and healthy,’ he said.
‘She just struggled her whole life for better life. She was so excited to move in her new home. She had lots of dreams.
‘Now how will I take care of two kids by my self and manage my work?
‘How will I pay off our mortgage? What will I tell my kids when they are asking for their mum?
‘I’m fully destroyed.’
A GoFundMe has been set up to support Mr Singh with funeral costs and as he takes time off to be with his children, with members of the community rallying to so far raise almost $45,000.
In a letter written by Hampton Park Women’s Health Clinic, and sighted by Daily Mail Australia, medical director Dr Michelle Kenney noted Ms Kaur had attended the clinic for a ‘routine minor gynaecological procedure under anaesthetic’.
‘The procedure and anaethestic were uncomplicated however due to unforeseen circumstances, Mrs Kaur passed away after the procedure,’ it reads.
‘Resuscitation was commenced immediately and for 45 minutes. Unfortunately our team (working with MICA paramedics) were unable to revive Harjit Kaur.’
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Dr Kenney said: ‘Despite our best efforts we could not save Ms Kaur.’
‘My staff have all received and been offered counselling.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dr Lopes for comment.
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