Law & Society

In each tragic case, there was a mistake made that harmed the fetus. As a result, the child and the child’s family must brace for possible life-long care and health difficulties. This is a far cry from how things should have gone. Sadly, the main reason is negligence by a health care professional.

When a couple is expecting a baby, their doctor and various specialists must do their job to ensure that the child and mother will both be healthy after the birth. There are nine months for a doctor to explain risks and potential problems. If the mother is overweight, has diabetes, or has other health problems, her doctor needs to watch her closely with the goal of making sure that baby is delivered healthy.

So, if the short answer of how birth injuries occur is medical negligence, in what ways does that occur? Some of the problems that may cause cerebral palsy, which is due to lack of oxygen leading to brain damage, are issues that crop up prior to birth. These include miscalculating the size of the fetus or giving the wrong date for the birth; this can cause premature birth or postmature birth. If the doctor misses that the mother has an infection or other medical problem, or that the fetus has one of these problems, and it is not treated, major complications may arise.
Issues that arise during birth include administering the wrong kind of medication during delivery (this may occur during pregnancy, too), failing to respond to fetal distress or improperly monitoring the fetus, improper use of delivery instruments, like suction, and more. This is obviously the most vital part of the pregnancy and for something to go wrong at this point is beyond tragic. If a c-section is needed, the delivery team must be prepared. This can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus.

After the child is born, there are still ways in which a birth injury may occur. This includes failing to give the child oxygen at the proper time if he or she needs it, failing to safely deliver the child when shoulder dystocia is presented (leading to Erb’s palsy), failing to deliver medicine when needed and more.

If your child has suffered a preventable birth injury in the state of New Jersey or the Philadelphia area, please visit the website of the experienced malpractice attorneys at Weiss & Paarz P.C. today.