There is always a chance that a baby will be injured during childbirth, though, thankfully, it doesn’t happen often. Fewer than three percent of babies suffer some birth trauma in the U.S., but those that do are often injured due to the improper handling of labor or delivery by medical professionals or the misuse of delivery instruments. Birth injuries often happen to the head, neck, and shoulders because babies are typically born head-first, but sometimes injuries occur to other parts of the body as well.
Various injuries may occur to infants as they are being born. Some of the most common include:
There are some key aspects of pregnancy, labor, and delivery that, when carefully monitored, can help prevent birth traumas. When doctors fail to do these things, and the baby suffers injuries as a result, it may be considered medical malpractice, and the doctor may be held responsible for the error.
Some of the most important elements of birth trauma prevention are:
Providing Proper Prenatal Care
Doctors should provide comprehensive prenatal care, including ordering diagnostic tests, to monitor the condition of both mother and baby. Prenatal testing can identify conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and maternal infections. Proper prenatal care will help doctors determine if there are any complications and whether the pregnancy is high-risk and needs more extensive care and monitoring.
Identifying and Addressing Signs of Fetal Distress
During pregnancy, labor, and delivery, the mother and child should be monitored for any indication of fetal distress, which can mean that the baby isn’t getting sufficient oxygen. The signs of fetal distress include:
Minimizing Risks of Premature Birth
There are times that premature birth is unavoidable. However, when doctors identify and mitigate the risk factors of the specific pregnancy, premature births can often be prevented. There are some medical interventions that doctors can employ to help mothers at risk of premature labor to carry their babies to term, including:
Recognizing When a C-Section is Needed
Some situations indicate that a C-section is necessary. When a doctor fails to recognize these situations or chooses to wait too long to perform a C-section, the mother and baby are at risk of complications. Some of the signs that a C-section may be necessary include:
It’s vital to expectant mothers and babies that medical professionals follow the standards of care when dealing with pregnancy, labor, and delivery problems.
Babies who suffer injuries as a result of birth trauma can require a lifetime of medical care. For parents, birth injuries suffered by their child can be devastating, financially and emotionally. When birth trauma injuries could have been prevented but occurred due to the negligence or mistake of a medical professional, parents may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against the responsible party.
At Ross Feller Casey, we have a team of Ivy League-educated doctors right on staff to consult on birth injury cases. They have the knowledge to carefully review medical records and determine if there was negligence involved. We also have expert attorneys with unmatched track records of winning multimillion-dollar recoveries for families who have suffered the negative impact of a traumatic birth.
No other law firm has recovered more for injured Pennsylvania children over the past five years.
Let Ross Feller Casey help with your birth trauma claim. Contact our offices today to schedule a free case evaluation.
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