'Yucky and uncomfortable': Hospital quizzes young girl on pregnancy status

Brookes Hughes' (left) 11-year-old daughter Maea (right) was asked about her pregnancy status when she went for an x-ray at Waikato Hospital. Photo / Supplied

A hospital has been criticised after it questioned the pregnancy status of an 11-year-old girl who had injured her arm.

Waikato mother Brooke Hughes told Newsroom her daughter Maea had fallen off her bike and suffered an injury bad enough to take her to hospital.

But when they arrived at Waikato Hospital to get Maea's arm x-rayed, they were met with an alarming question from the doctor.

"They started off with: 'Now, please don't be offended by what I'm about to ask', [then continued], 'Is there a possibility that you might be pregnant?' " Hughes told Newsroom.

The doctor directed the question directly at her daughter, instead of engaging with Hughes first.

She said her daughter was shocked by the question and looked at Hughes baffled.

"She said she felt really yucky about it and uncomfortable," Hughes said.

According to Waikato Hospital's ED nurse, it is standard practice for all women aged between 10 and 55 to be asked whether they're pregnant before undergoing an x-ray.

Despite the hospital's protocol, Hughes believes the doctor handled the situation badly.

"It was just the way they asked the question as well. Why does it have to be verbalised, why was it so callous, and not discrete? Why can it not just be a tickbox where it's not going to affect the child?"

Hughes told Newsroom she made a formal complaint to the Waikato District Health Board, but found their response unsatisfactory.

In a letter, district services manager of radiology Sue McColl apologised that the experience had caused offence and explained what Hughes was already told: that female patients between 10-55 years old were asked of the pregnancy status due to health risks.

Despite a response, Hughes felt the explanation letter was "like rubbing salt in a wound", disrespectful and didn't take the situation "seriously at all".