High risk pregnancies, including premature births, PIH, and pregnant women over the age of 35, require doctors and medical professionals to proactively monitor and provide medical treatment to reduce the likelihood of birth injuries. Failure of a doctor to detect a high risk pregnancy and provide the proper treatment may result in a medical malpractice case if a birth injury occurred due to the doctor's negligence.
Doctor's are expected to screen and monitor for signs of a high risk pregnancy. If these warning signs are detected, the doctor needs to warn the mother of the risks and take proactive action to help deliver a healthy child.
Examples of high risk pregnancies include high blood pressure, premature birth, a large infant, infections, heart disease, VBAC, premature rupture of the membranes, emerging health problems during the pregnancy, multiple births, being overweight or underweight, and pregnant women over the age of 35.
Women over the age of 35 are at a greater risk of delivering a baby prematurely, with Down syndrome, and miscarriage. The doctor can provide tests to help detect chromosomal defects, including Down syndrome.
A large fetus produces a greater risk for a birth injury than an average size fetus. One problem for a delivery of a large sized infant will be if the baby will not be able to exit the birth canal naturally. A doctor may need to use forceps or a vacuum device to help extract the baby. If the doctor is not careful and uses too much force, the baby can be permanently injured from the trauma, including paralysis and the eventual onslaught of cerebral palsy. The doctor needs to monitor the size of the fetus throughout the pregnancy and be prepared to perform a C-section if necessary.
If a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, the condition is known as pregnancy induced hypertension, PIH, or gestational hypertension. If the condition is not properly monitored and treated, it can escalate to preeclampsia or eclampsia, which causes the placenta to be restricted of a proper blood supply, thereby restricting the amount of oxygen and food available to the infant. The result may be a baby with a low birth weight. This can also result in harm to the mother as well. A mother can sustain damage to vital organs, including the kidneys.
Another danger to a woman with a high risk pregnancy is the premature rupture of the membranes. This involves the breaking of the amniotic sac surrounding the infant before the 37th week of gestation. If the doctor or medical staff fails to detect this emergency and take immediate action, the baby could suffer severe birth injuries or even die.
Women who have had a previous cesarean section, but choose to deliver the next baby naturally, or VBAC, are placed in a high risk pregnancy category. A small percentage of women who deliver a baby VBAC will experience a rupturing of the uterus. If this happens, it is imperative that the doctor is able to deliver the baby in less than 10 minutes through an emergency C-section. The doctor should be prepared for a VBAC by ensuring that the hospital has 24 hour anesthesiologists and obstetricians available in case of a VBAC related emergency occurs.
If your baby was injured because a doctor failed to properly detect or treat a high risk pregnancy and this lead to a birth injury, you should contact a highly qualified birth injury attorney such as Dr. Bruce Fagel. Dr. Fagel is both a leading medical malpractice lawyer, specializing in birth injuries, and a licensed physician.