I was a little over five months pregnant when Dr. Daniel Hakimi recommended an amniocentesis due to…read morevery minor kidney congestion in the fetus. He reassured me it was routine and "no big deal," comparing it to drawing blood. At no point did he explain the risks. He urged us to proceed immediately and even tried to schedule it on the spot. My husband and I were not cautioned of any dangers. I was asked to sign the consent form while lying on the exam bed, moments before the procedure. I had no time to review the documents properly. Later, I discovered that Dr. Hakimi falsely documented in my medical record that we were advised to seek genetic counseling, which never happened.
The procedure was done in the morning, and I soon felt unwell. By the following day, my condition worsened. I called his office repeatedly but could not reach him directly. Eventually, his PA called back, dismissing my symptoms as normal and casually saying I could go to the hospital if I wished. By mid-afternoon, I began experiencing rhythmic contractions. My husband and I rushed to the hospital. That night, I went through 12 hours of painful labor, followed by an epidural and then a C-section.
During the C-section, Dr. Hakimi severed both of my main uterine arteries, causing massive internal bleeding. I required 10 units of blood and a second surgery to permanently block both arteries. I was placed on a ventilator for two days. Our baby was delivered via C-section two days after the amniocentesis but tragically passed away only nine hours later.
An independent third-party review revealed:
The amniocentesis was unnecessary. Minor kidney congestion is not a valid reason to risk such an invasive procedure, and the results later confirmed our baby was perfectly healthy.
Dr. Hakimi misdiagnosed placenta previa. Hospital staff disagreed, but he refused to listen. This error led to an unnecessary C-section instead of allowing natural birth.
The C-section itself was botched, with two arteries severed, nearly killing me.
These three errors--an unnecessary procedure, a false diagnosis, and a surgical mistake--cost us our child's life and left me permanently scarred.
Throughout recovery, Dr. Hakimi showed no sympathy or accountability. When I reported severe pain, he dismissively said, "No one has ever complained about this much pain before." He downplayed everything that happened, and we only learned the truth by consulting other doctors. Eighteen months later, I still suffer complications both physically and emotionally.
After the ordeal, when we requested copies of our medical records, Dr. Hakimi personally called demanding a final $600 payment before he would release them. The charge was largely tied to the very amniocentesis that led to our daughter's death. Only after my husband threatened to sue did he relent.
The timeline underscores the negligence: labor began Thursday night, the C-section was done Friday morning, and afterward Dr. Hakimi simply left. He did not return until late Saturday night, more than 24 hours later, as if nothing had happened. I had just come off the ventilator when I asked where he had been and how he could abandon me in such crisis. His response: "I already told you that you have to pay the concierge service if you want me to stay overnight at the hospital." To say something so callous after nearly killing me and costing my baby's life is beyond comprehension.
Shortly after, Hackensack Hospital froze his rights to work there due to repeated unprofessional conduct, with our case being the final straw. I spent eight days in the hospital before being discharged. Just two days later, while we were still grieving and I was still recovering, Dr. Hakimi called our home frantically 7-10 times in one day. He said his hospital privileges had been suspended and asked us to write a letter of support for him. To approach a patient for help who had just buried her child and barely survived his mistakes is unconscionable.
Dr. Hakimi not only cost me my baby--he nearly cost me my life. He stole my healthy young years and my peace of mind and left permanent trauma. His negligence, dishonesty, and lack of compassion have caused devastating, irreversible damage.
I am sharing this review to warn others and to hopefully spare another woman from enduring what I did.
