The Role of Medical Negligence in Birth Injuries

Even under the best of circumstances, the process of giving birth isn’t easy for anybody involved. Medical science has come a long way in helping make labor and delivery safer for both mother and child, but it’s still very easy for something to go wrong. Sometimes, even women who have had healthy and normal pregnancies may still run into complications during delivery. In some cases, birth injuries can happen despite doctors doing everything possible to prevent them. But far too often, they’re the result of medical negligence.

Failing to Monitor Infant Health

The longer it takes for complications to be addressed, the more likely it is for birth injuries to occur. Because of this, it’s extremely important for any medical professionals attending the birth to have the skills and knowledge to appropriately handle any complications that may come up along the way. They need to be closely monitoring the baby to make sure their heart rate is strong and that they’re getting enough oxygen. If a baby starts going into distress and they begin losing oxygen, quick action needs to be taken to prevent serious harm. Just a few minutes without oxygen can cause issues like cerebral palsy, organ damage/failure, and intellectual disabilities.

Failing to Order a C-Section

In some situations, a c-section may be necessary to quickly deliver a baby in an emergency situation or to prevent an emergency situation from happening in the first place. For example, the mother might have a health condition that would make going through a natural delivery very risky or the baby could be in a breech position and a natural delivery could put the child at risk for injuries. If a doctor or other medical professional fails to order a C-section when it would be appropriate to do so, it could be considered medical negligence.

Incorrect Use of Birth-Assisting Tools

If a baby needs a little extra help coming into the world, birth-assisting tools like forceps and vacuum extractors might be used. When used appropriately, these birth-assisting tools can be safe, but if they aren’t, they can potentially injure a child. Not only do the tools need to be used correctly, there are conditions that need to be met for them to be considered appropriate for use.

Why Do Medical Errors Occur?

Medical errors in the delivery room can happen for a very wide range of reasons. In some cases, a doctor or other medical professional fails to make a decision that meets accepted medical standards. In other cases, a person might not have enough training or experience to be taking certain actions. Sometimes, a simple miscommunication between members of the team attending to the birth can result in a big mistake being made.

Contact a Birth Trauma Lawyer

If you believe medical negligence resulted in your child being injured during or shortly after birth, it’s extremely important to get in touch with a birth trauma lawyer as soon as possible to learn about your legal options. Even if your child is a few years old, you may still have legal options available to you. At Goodwin & Scieszka, we have lawyers who are experienced in helping people just like you. Contact us today for help with your case.