A 27-year-old woman tragically lost her life after documenting her experience of giving birth to her second child on social media.
Aesthetician Anna Malova is said to have suffered unbearable pain before experiencing "severe convulsions" and falling into a coma at a hospital in Russia.
The Daily Star reports that she underwent a cesarean section, which saved the life of her daughter, who was born healthy.
However, according to reports, the 27-year-old suffered four cardiac arrests and brain damage before passing away. Her deteriorating condition is suspected to have been unknown to her husband, Ivan. She died two days after falling into a coma without regaining consciousness.
Now, doctors are facing a criminal investigation for "medical negligence" related to the use of epidural anesthesia during childbirth.
Initially, Anna appeared smiling in a recent video, but she is then said to have received the maximum dose of epidural while continuing to experience severe pain at a hospital in Novocherkassk, in the Rostov-on-Don region.
According to sources, she was also given an additional dose, which did not alleviate the pain. In messages to her friend, Vika, she wrote: "Should the injection work immediately? Nothing has changed." She later reported tremors in her legs and worsening pain.
In another message, she expressed: "I only tremble during contractions. Vika, when will this end?"
In one of her final messages, Anna wrote: "I won't make it. The doctor said he gave the maximum dose. I have terrible pain, I can't... This is a curse." Her last words to her friend were: "I will try to survive."
Family members claim her condition worsened due to a toxic reaction to anesthetic drugs, causing damage to the central nervous system. They also accuse doctors of ignoring her complaints and missing opportunities to save her.
Russia's Investigative Committee has launched an investigation to identify those responsible for the violations that led to the woman's death. Meanwhile, a forensic examination has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
The Russian prosecutor's office announced that a criminal investigation has been opened for the offense of "causing death by negligence," which is punishable by up to three years in prison. It added that it is closely monitoring the progress and outcome of the investigations.