Medical errors in pregnancy and obstetrics
Pregnancy is a unique life experience. Of course, every pregnant woman wants her pregnancy and the birth of the baby to go smoothly, but sometimes this does not happen. Every year, some babies are born with birth defects that could have been avoided. Serious issues such as brain damage and mental retardation have been caused by medical negligence.
Whether during prenatal care or actual childbirth, if a doctor does not do his or her job properly, it can result in lifelong damage to the child.
Pregnancy medical errors: Negligence during prenatal care
In order to ensure the health of the unborn baby, a pregnant woman should visit her gynecologist doctor regularly.
During these visits, the doctor performs the tests and checkups necessary to ensure the health of both the baby and the mother.
There are many issues that need to be addressed during pregnancy and if something is missed by the doctor, it can be costly to the mother and the unborn child. For example, if the mother has a worrying medical condition, it should be treated early and properly so that there are no complications during or after birth.
Gestational diabetes, for example, is a common occurrence in which a mother who has never had diabetes suddenly gets it for the duration of pregnancy and then loses it once the baby is born.If the mother's high blood sugar levels are not carefully monitored and if the progression of the disease is not monitored, there can be serious consequences for the baby.
Complications may include:
*birth-related complications due to the large size of the baby,
*development of diabetes later in life,
*increased risk of death of the newborn,
*and low blood sugar (glucose) levels or disease in the newborn.
Medical errors in pregnancy: Negligence during childbirth
During childbirth, it is the doctor's responsibility to make sure the baby comes into the world as healthy as possible.
Monitoring the baby's well-being during the birthing process is extremely important. Regular monitoring is often done with a manual device placed in the mother's stomach to listen to the baby's heartbeat. The fetal heartbeat should be monitored more frequently during the second stage of labor while the mother is pushing.
Some hospitals use electronic fetal monitoring, which involves a belt placed around the mother's stomach to ensure continuous assessment of the baby's heart rate and the intensity and frequency of the mother's contractions.
In situations where there is 'fetal distress' (too high or too low a fetal heart rate), internal fetal monitoring may be used. A very small electrode is attached to the baby's skull and records the heart rate. This type of monitoring gives extremely fast and decisive feedback and allows doctors to decide quickly whether an immediate caesarean section is required.
If the doctors responsible for delivery do not perform this monitoring properly, the lives of an entire family can be ruined.
If a doctor does not properly monitor the baby or takes too long to perform a C-section, this careless treatment can result in lifelong physical and mental problems for the baby. Because of the doctor's negligence during delivery, some babies have been born with cerebral palsy or severe brain damage. In these circumstances, you should contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer to evaluate your case.
What damages a patient is entitled to in a medical error of pregnancy and obstetrics
If a patient can prove that a doctor made a pregnancy or obstetrics medical error, then they are entitled to recover all damages related to that medical malpractice.
These damages will include the additional medical expenses the patient incurred before the harm was remedied as well as the pain, suffering, pain and suffering suffered because of the pregnancy or obstetrics medical error, including damages for any permanent disabilities and injuries suffered by the mother or newborn as a result.
In addition, if the child's or mother's life expectancy was reduced due to the medical error, the patient is entitled to additional compensation for loss of enjoyment of life.
If a patient dies due to a medical error of pregnancy or obstetrics, his/her loved ones may also be able to support a lawsuit.
Please note that there are time limits for filing your claim so if you are concerned about a medical malpractice issue, please contact us directly and discuss your case without any commitment or financial obligation. You can also set up a meeting through our secretariat at +30 210 6452133
For more information on how we deal comprehensively with the issue of medical malpractice see here
More specifically on the issue of medication errors see here
In particular on the issue of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis see here
On the issue of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of cancer see here
On how to claim compensation from clinics and hospitals see here
More generally, for medical surgical errors see here
More specifically for medical errors in plastic surgery see here