In 2021, Jessie went to a family planning clinic to have an old Jadelle contraceptive removed from their arm and replaced with a new one.
However, the doctor did not put the new device in, despite specific instructions on file. A few months later, Jessie got pregnant and had a termination.
In a decision released this week, the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) found the doctor made significant errors.
This included failing to review the patient's clinical notes, failing to confirm the reason for the appointment, failing to insert the contraceptive device, and wrongly saying in the doctor's notes that the patient declined contraception.
The doctor was told to make a written apology and undertake further training.
Jessie came forward to RNZ's Checkpoint programme to tell their story and share concerns about the way they were treated.
"It's been an incredibly disheartening, demoralising, demeaning process that I've been going through as I try to kind of fight for some form of justice for what happened.
"There's been a lot of hurt, there's been a lot of depression, a lot of anxiety and unfortunately, it's a very drawn out process, so I've not really been able to get a lot of peace throughout this experience."
After experiencing some symptoms, Jessie decided to take a pregnancy test.
"I was at the gym one day and all of a sudden I was lifting about 100 kilos less than normal and I started thinking, 'Oh my goodness, I feel not well' and 'Maybe I've got cancer, my body is just not responding right, I've been fatigued.'
"I've had quite regular periods my whole life. But I thought, 'Actually you are quite late for your period', 'It's not gonna be that.'"
Jessie picked up a pregnancy test after the gym.
"I took it when I got home, I was just about to jump in the shower and it came up positive.
"My heart just dropped because I didn't think it was possible. I had throughout my lifetime been so proactive about making sure that that didn't happen because it's always been something that I didn't want."
They said going through the process to book a surgical abortion was very difficult.
"The clinics over here that are not in the hospital have a weight limit of 90 kilograms and I am above 90 kilos, so I was quite rudely told that it was not something that I could do and I must have a medical abortion."
"Thankfully, I'm quite an outspoken individual and I said 'No, that's not the case at all. I can go to the hospital, there are other avenues to to do this.' So I was booked into the hospital."
There were no appointments at the hospital for a month-and-a-half, meaning they had to remain pregnant during that time.
"That is if you can imagine a really difficult reality to face."
Jessie rang up Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa to understand how her contraceptive could have failed.
"I said to them, 'Hey, I came in and I had my implant done on this date and I was just wanting to request my medical notes.' The receptionist on the phone says 'I can see you came in, I'm just going to have to call you back'. I thought what the heck's going on? Then I got a call back from them saying, 'look, we don't actually have anything about an implant being inserted, we've just got a removal'."
The HDC found that Jessie's instructions to the clinic had been clear, and they were expecting to have a contraceptive implant placed in their arm.
"I had three conversations - three conversations about it before it actually occurring."
They said they are not satisfied with the outcomes of the Health and Disability Commissioner's findings.
"I think it's a bit of a joke, to be honest, the HDC stated that the doctor must provide me an apology letter within 10 days of the conclusion of the investigation and it's a fourth letter.
"I don't know how I should should take that, on the one hand I am sure that he is sorry for what he's done, whether he's sorry for the impact it's had on his life or whether he's sorry for the impact it's had on my life."
There have been no restrictions placed on the doctor's practise, they said.
"I don't want anyone's life to be ruined, people make mistakes. It is a very substantial mistake to make but there should be at a minimum, in my opinion, some restrictions placed on his practice."
Financially they were left in a tough situation, as they had not long moved to Australia.
"I moved over to Australia with $2000. It was a really tough time and all I really needed at that time was a break, so that I could actually process what had happened and to be able to speak to a clinical psychologist who had the knowledge to help me actually process what was going on.
"I have never in my life felt suicidal before, but I really felt like there was no way out when I was going through that. Because there was just no support and there was so much gaslighting through the system. It really felt like nobody cared and nobody was on my side to help me deal with it."
Jessie said they are now re-looking at their applications for university and continuing training to become a clinical psychologist.
"Recently I've felt ready to kind of take on the things that I wanted to. I was so fearful of re-entering that space too soon, but I'm moving on. I am a very positive person. I have a deep connection with Tangaroa.
"I'm very fortunate to be close to the beach and that's a really healing space for me, especially when I start getting anxious. It's been pretty harrowing."
In a statement, Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa told Checkpoint they engaged early and fully with the HDC process and have done everything they were asked to do by the HDC.
"We've accepted the outcome of the HDC process and implemented all the HDC's recommendations as soon as we could.
"We won't be commenting further on this story."
