LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of women and their babies suffered “avoidable harm" because Britain's healthcare system ignored serious concerns raised about some medical treatments, a scathing review into three National Health Service scandals found Wednesday. Patients were dismissed and overlooked when they complained about three medical interventions: pelvic mesh, which has been linked to crippling, life-changing complications including chronic pain; the anti-epilepsy drug sodium valproate, which has been linked to physical malformations in many children when taken by their mothers during pregnancy; and hormone pregnancy tests such as Primodos, thought to be associated with birth defects and miscarriages. The review chaired by Julia Cumberlege, a former health minister, said the healthcare system had a “glacial” and “defensive” response to concerns over the treatments. The report outlined “heart-wrenching″ stories of how the treatments led to “acute suffering, families fractured, children harmed and much else" in hundreds of families.Read more on NewsOK.com