ADDRESSING RISK FACTORS FOR A BIRTH INJURY

Throughout a pregnancy and during birth, any and all risk factors should be properly addressed by your doctor. Your physician has a duty to adequately respond to all complications, implementing effective remedies to ensure the birthing process goes as smoothly as possible. When an OB/GYN or other medical professional fails to do so, they may be held liable for medical malpractice.

What are Risk Factors for a Birth Injury?

A birth injury is a type of injury that occurs during labor and delivery. Certain factors can put a baby at greater risk of sustaining a birth injury, such as:

• The mother’s size. A mother with a small or irregularly shaped pelvis carrying a large fetus—a condition known as cephalopelvic disproportion—may be unable to deliver the child through a vaginal birth. A C-section may be necessary because the baby is too large to fit through the birth canal.
• The baby’s size. A child that’s more than 8 lbs., 13 oz. may also need to be delivered through a C-section, or might require other special help during delivery, depending on the mother’s anatomy.
• The baby’s position. If the fetus is in a breech position or other irregular position in the uterus before birth, it could put the child’s health at risk. Addressing and correcting the baby’s position is crucial.
• The mother’s health. If the mother suffers from a chronic illness or a condition that developed during pregnancy, special precautions may need to be taken during labor and delivery.
• Premature labor. Babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy are considered premature and are more susceptible to injury during and after birth.
• Prolonged labor. If labor continues for a long period of time—it varies for each child and mother—the doctor should take measures to speed labor along. This situation may call for the use of Pitocin or a C-section.

Many of these complications are relatively common and doctors should be well-versed in how to handle them. Failure to react properly can result in:

• Bruising
• Bleeding
• Nerve damage
• Brain injuries
• Cerebral palsy or Erb’s palsy
• Fractures
• Oxygen deprivation

In the most serious of tragedies, a doctor’s mistake could result in the death of the child or the mother.

Seasoned Medical Malpractice representation in and around Baltimore and Washington D.C.

If you feel your physician or other healthcare practitioner made a serious error during your child’s birth and that mistake led to an injury, contact Schochor, Federico and Staton, P.A. We are advocates for injured children and their families—we believe in standing up for anyone who has been wronged. To arrange a consultation in either our Baltimore or Washington D.C. office, please call 410-234-1000 or complete our contact form.

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