Was Your Baby Harmed Due to a Delayed C-Section?

 Posted on May 09, 2022 in Medical Malpractice

Expecting a new baby is exciting and terrifying all at once. So many things can go wrong during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, so many expectant parents are understandably nervous. Doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are tasked with recognizing potential complications and taking the necessary action to mitigate any negative health consequences to the mother and baby. However, medical professionals involved in the birthing process do not always meet the high standards parents expect of them.

Failure to perform a Caesarean section or delayed c-section can cause serious and potentially deadly complications. If your baby was harmed during labor or delivery and you suspect that the doctor's failure to perform a timely c-section may have been the cause, read on to learn more.

Failure to Perform a Timely C-Section

Some c-sections are planned in advance. The mother may have had problems delivering her other children or suffers from health complications that make vaginal delivery impractical or unsafe. C-sections may also be a last resort when problems arise during labor, making it too dangerous for the mother to give birth traditionally.

It is a doctor's responsibility to recognize when an emergency c-section is necessary and act quickly to ensure the safety of the mother and the new infant.

Emergency c-sections may be needed because of:

• Problems with the umbilical cord, such as the cord being wrapped around the baby's neck

• Irregular fetal heartbeat

• Blood pressure abnormalities such as preeclampsia

• Problems with the placenta such as placenta abruption or placental insufficiency

• The baby is in a breech position

• Shoulder dystocia

These are just a few of the situations in which a c-section may be needed to protect the health of the mother and the newborn. If a doctor hesitates and waits too long to perform a c-section, the baby may be deprived of oxygen, resulting in brain injuries and other life-threatening medical complications. 

Failure to perform a timely c-section has been associated with:

• Physical injuries to the baby’s brachial plexus nerves

• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)

• Brain damage resulting in intellectual disabilities and developmental delays

• Cerebral palsy

Contact a Kane County Delayed C-Section Lawyer

Doctors and other medical staff must carefully monitor expectant mothers for signs that the mother or baby are in distress. If a c-section is needed, but doctors fail to perform the surgery quickly, the baby can suffer irreversible harm.

If your baby was the victim of a delayed c-section, contact the experienced Aurora birth injury attorneys at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. to explore your legal options. Call 630-907-0909 to set up a free, no-obligation case assessment today.

Source:

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/emergency-c-section