Portuguese medical authorities have suspended an obstetrician accused of failing to detect abnormalities in a baby born without a face.
The 2-week-old infant, identified only as Rodrigo, does not have a nose or eyes and is missing part of his skull.
The parents of baby Rodrigo had not been aware of their son’s severe physical abnormalities until he was born earlier this month.
Medical council officials have voted to suspend Dr Artur Carvalho over allegations of negligence.
It has emerged that Dr. Artur Carvalho performed four ultrasounds on the mother and dismissed concerns during the last one that parts of the face were not visible.
Numerous other parents have since come forward with complaints that Carvalho did not inform them of birth defects while they were pregnant. Carvalho has not commented.
Dr Carvalho has not commented publicly on any of the allegations and the BBC has been unable to reach him directly.
The growing scandal has sparked outrage in Portugal. It has raised questions about how the country’s health system works, as well as procedures for complaints.
Miguel Guimarães, president of Portugal’s medical association (Ordem dos Médicos), last week gave a press conference where he said he had directly contacted Dr Carvalho, given the “social alarm” caused by the case.
The doctor, he said, had agreed to stop performing procedures while investigations continued.
