Kathelen Tavares, a mother from Rio de Janeiro, was informed that she was expecting twins. Already an experienced mom to a pair of twin girls, she followed prenatal care carefully, undergoing multiple ultrasounds that confirmed the news.
Anticipation turned into confusion on March 29, as upon waking up from her C-section on March 29, she was handed only one of her babies.
Devastated, Kathelen demanded answers. Every medical record throughout her pregnancy pointed to two fetuses. Ultrasounds showed two heartbeats. The hospital registered her as having a twin pregnancy.
Yet, medical staff insisted there had only ever been one baby.
A Brazilian mother is heartbroken after believing she was expecting twins, only to receive one child
“They placed my baby on my chest, and I waited for the second one. But then they told me there was no second baby. I kept asking what happened, but they wouldn’t explain anything to me,” she said to local media.
Kathelen had her first ultrasound performed at a public clinic in Realengo, located in Rio de Janeiro’s western area, in December 2024.
According to Kathelen, the scan clearly showed two developing fetuses with distinct heartbeats and different femur lengths. The latter is an important biometric parameter that helps assess fetal growth and gestational age.
Subsequent appointments, including a final check-up at Hospital da Mulher Mariska Ribeiro just days before her scheduled delivery, reinforced the same result: she was pregnant with twins.
On March 28, Kathelen’s water broke earlier than expected, and she was rushed to the hospital. Because of the suddenness of the emergency, no family members could accompany her into the operating room.
Staff instructed her to bring two sets of baby clothes—one for each child.
But something felt off.
“I was lying there, numb from the anesthesia, and I only heard one baby cry,” Kathelen recalled. “They placed her on my chest, and I waited for the second, but it never came.”
Authorities conducted an investigation and confirmed that Kathelen had only ever been pregnant with one child
When she questioned the doctors, she was told that there was never a second baby. Confused and devastated, she struggled to comprehend how months of medical confirmation could suddenly be erased in a matter of minutes.
As Kathelen’s case gained traction, taking over headlines in Brazil and garnering support from readers, the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro launched an investigation.
The state’s Health Secretary, Daniel Soranz, shared the results of the inquiry, which found out that the first exam had misinterpreted the fetal heartbeat readings, mistaking one baby’s heart for two.
“It was a confusion with the gestational sac and the cardiotocography, which listens to the baby’s heartbeat,” Soranz stated.
He then emphasized that the delivery team found only one baby and one placenta, and to remove any doubt, the placenta was sent for forensic analysis.
A new investigation is underway to identify those responsible for providing Kathelen with false information
“Unfortunately, it was a mistake on the first ultrasound. It’s just one baby; it’s important to make this clear. It’s important to reassure the family. There were no problems during the birth,” he added.
While Sorenz acknowledged the distress the situation had caused the family, the Tavares’ are struggling to accept the explanation.
The case has now been taken up by the 34th Police Precinct in Bangu. Authorities are reviewing hospital documents, surveillance footage, and testimony from medical staff to find those responsible for giving the mother erroneous health information.
As the family continues to demand an explanation, the hospital’s director was summoned for questioning by the police.
For Kathelen and her family, the nightmare isn’t just about medical discrepancies—it’s about trust and medical accountability when dealing with one of life’s most vulnerable moments.
“The doctors need to be investigated.” The Health Secretary’s statement did little to calm the public’s doubts
