[For causes of action arising or accruing on or after April 5, 1988, the following provisions will apply:]
A. In any action, other than actions controlled by subsection B., to recover damages for injury to the person arising out of any medical, surgical, or dental treatment, omission, or operation by any licensed health care provider as defined in Article 5, Chapter 79, Title 38 acting within the scope of his profession must be commenced within three years from the date of the treatment, omission or operation giving rise to the cause of action or three years from the date of discovery or when it reasonably ought to have been discovered, not to exceed six years from date of occurrence, or as tolled by this section.
B. When the action is for damages arising out of the placement and inadvertent, accidental, or unintentional leaving of a foreign object in the body or person of any one or the negligent placement of any appliance or apparatus in or upon any such person by any licensed health care provider acting within the scope of his profession by reason of any medical, surgical or dental treatment or operation, the action must be commenced within two years from date of discovery or when it reasonably ought to have been discovered; provided, that, in no event shall there be a limitation on the commencement of the action less than three years after the placement or leaving of the appliance or apparatus.
C. The provisions of this section apply only to causes of action which arise after June 10, 1977, and, as to causes of action which arise prior to June 10, 1977, the statute of limitations existing prior to June 10, 1977, applies.
Smith v. Smith, 291 S.C. 420, 354 S.E.2d 36 (1987). (The parents sued the physician for allegedly negligent care during the mother's pregnancy which injured the child. Such a claim is governed by the malpractice statute of limitations whether the claim sounds in negligence or contract. The statute is tolled until the injury and its cause are discovered. In this case, discovery occurred when the plaintiffs consulted with attorneys regarding the potential malpractice action. An action brought five years after such consultations was untimely.)