Medical Malpractice and Birth Injuries

Many problems may exist in a medical facility. While any instance of medical malpractice can be challenging to endure, few are as traumatizing as an event that occurs to a child. Unfortunately, these do happen, and birth injuries are far more common than you may think.

If you are pregnant or if you’re an expecting father, it’s vital to recognize how medical malpractice can lead to a birth injury. This blog will detail all you need to know moving forward regarding what to look for and what legal options you may have.

Medical malpractice can cause birth injuries when the doctor or nurse:

• Fails to monitor your pregnancy accurately
• Fails to identify the need for an emergency cesarean section
• Fails to adjust your baby when necessary
• Fails to use birth-aiding tools properly

Read more about each of these problems below.

Failure to Properly Monitor Pregnancy

Throughout your entire pregnancy, you should have various appointments to ensure you and your baby are healthy. The doctor must check in on your overall health, including blood pressure, and your baby to ensure a regular heart rate.

A problem with your baby’s heart rate could indicate fetal distress. For instance, your baby may be suffering from a lack of oxygen, which can be a potential cause of cerebral palsy. If your doctor doesn’t recognize this issue, your baby can suffer long-term damage.

If your doctor fails to monitor your pregnancy for any reason, you or your baby can suffer harm. In these cases, you have legal rights to pursue compensation.

Failure to Identify the Need for an Emergency C-Section

If your labor lasts longer than 20 hours, or your baby is displaying signs of fetal distress, your doctor may need to decide to perform an emergency cesarean section. This surgical procedure allows the doctor to deliver your baby through an incision just above your groin.

While you may have concerns regarding C-sections, you must know that delayed labor or fetal distress that lasts numerous hours can result in your baby suffering significant harm. The C-section can help prevent long-term harm from occurring.

Failure to Adjust a Baby in Breech Position

In a standard delivery, your baby should position him or herself with his or her head pointing towards the birth canal. This position makes for a more natural delivery with the biggest potential problem involving your baby being too big to fit through the birth canal.

Unfortunately, a baby in a breech position has his or her feet facing the birth canal. In this situation, the doctor must work to reposition your baby or perform an emergency c-section. Breech positioning can cause harm to your baby and you.

Failure to Use Birth-Aiding Tools Safely

While the use of forceps and vacuum extractors is rarer in modern medicine, there are some situations where doctors use these birth-aiding tools. With the lack of use, though, comes potential inexperience and misuse of these items.

Forceps that apply too much pressure to your baby’s head or incorrectly used vacuum extractors can result in traumatic brain injuries. Your baby can suffer severe harm if a doctor does not have the proper training to deliver your baby with these tools.

Regardless of the situation, you and your baby should not have to suffer because of a healthcare provider’s negligence. Our Monroe medical malpractice lawyers recognize the potential issues that may arise and how they can impact your entire family.

At Parker Alexander, your family is our top priority. We’ll work with you to determine what legal options you have to hold the doctor accountable for his or her negligence. We’ll help you pursue justice and the compensation you and your family need to move forward.