A child’s birth should be a joyous occasion in a parent’s life, and every precaution should be taken to make sure that the baby is delivered without incidence. Physicians and hospitals are not responsible for every birth injury, but when a medical emergency occurs, a normally healthy baby can suffer traumatic consequences due to these medical mistakes.
Birthing Injuries
Even though serious birth injury complications are typically uncommon in the United States, the latest studies have shown them to increase by 75 percent over the past 10 years. Physicians, hospitals and medical staff may need to rethink their childbirth procedures to ensure safety and primary care to all mothers and babies. Some of the birthing injuries include problems such as a broken collarbone or forceps markings. Cerebral palsy, nerve damage and strokes are more serious injuries that can leave permanent damage. Birthing injuries can affect the baby permanently and leave the family stressed, financially strapped and needing a birth injury attorney to ensure they receive the proper compensation. Medical complications can happen before, during or after the delivery. Several examples of negligence include the following:
- Improper prenatal care
- Failure to keep track of the mother’s medical history
- Failure to keep track of the fetal size of the baby
- Unable to induce delivery in a timely manner
- Complications during the delivery
- Improper care once the baby was delivered
Ensuring a Safe Pregnancy
There are numerous things an expectant mother can do to properly care for her baby and ensure that it develops in a healthy environment.
- Do your research to find a qualified obstetrician. Check the doctors years of experience and training. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, ask if the physician has experience in dealing with this type of situation. Perinatologists have additional training, and they are better equipped for complicated pregnancies.
- Get prenatal care immediately after finding out that you’re pregnant and see your physician regularly until your delivery.
- Eat a healthy diet and take the recommended vitamins.
- If you come down with a cold or flu, or you feel there may be a problem with the pregnancy, seek medical attention immediately.
- During the last stages of your pregnancy, you may want to think about preregistering with the hospital and fill out any paperwork ahead of time. At the last term of the pregnancy, you can practice kick counting to keep track of the fetal movement of the baby.
- When it’s time for delivery, try to be aware of what is going on around you at the hospital. If you have any questions, or you see something that doesn’t seem quite right, speak up.
What Parents Can Do After a Birthing Injury
If the birth injury was caused by the hospital, physician or other medical care team, you and your baby may have a claim. Any type of birthing injury could lead to exorbitant expenses, and it could put a long-term financial strain on the family. An attorney with experience in medical malpractice can help you with your claim to see if you have a case. Financial compensation may never get the health of your child back, but it can relieve you of any costly burdens that you may experience because of the lack of care brought on by the hospital or medical staff.
A healthy pregnancy and delivery is one of the most important events in a parent’s life. By taking proper prenatal care during the pregnancy, doing your homework to find an experienced physician and staying aware when in the hospital, you are doing everything you possibly can to deliver a healthy baby.
Nadine Swayne is a freelance writer who contributes this article for the law offices of Steinger, Iscoe & Greene, who understand that taking care of your child is too important to do alone. A good birth injury attorney understands that if your child is suffering from a birth injury because of someone’s negligence, you are entitled fair compensation. This legal team is committed to representing and fighting for you and your family’s best interests.