Having a baby may be one of the most natural things in the world, but that does not mean every pregnancy, labor or delivery goes flawlessly and according to plan. Sometimes, mothers need help when delivering their babies due to a variety of reasons.
If your doctor thinks you need a C-section, you should know the risks you and your baby may face. You should know that many of these risks can easily be mitigated by your doctor. However, if something goes wrong during your procedure, there is a possibility it could constitute medical malpractice, especially if the harm done to you or your child comes with lifelong complications.
What could happen to your baby?
Like many other San Diego mothers, your primary concern is likely the health of your baby. Potential risks to your baby include:
- One of the reasons you may need an emergency C-section is because your baby is in distress and the surgery could exacerbate that condition causing your child’s APGAR scores to be lower than normal. Anesthesia could also cause this.
- Determining gestational age is not an exact science. If miscalculated, your child could be premature, which could cause low birth weight.
- Respiratory and breathing problems are more common in children delivered by C-section. Your doctor attending the birth should prepare for this possibility.
- In one or two out of every 100 C-sections, the baby suffers injury during the procedure, such as nicks or cuts.
If your baby does suffer from any of these problems due to a C-section, the hope is that there will be no lasting damage, but only time will tell.
What could happen to you?
As you are the one undergoing the procedure, the risks to you are not insignificant. You could suffer from the following during a C-section:
- Your risk of death is higher during this procedure than during a vaginal birth.
- You could suffer from an infection in your uterus, another organ or the site of the incision. Some infections can end up threatening your life.
- If something goes wrong during your procedure, you may have to undergo additional surgeries in order to repair the damage.
- You could suffer from increased blood loss or even hemorrhage. You could require a blood transfusion or suffer from anemia as a result.
- You could suffer an adverse reaction to the anesthesia or some other medication prescribed because of the surgery.
- Because your bowel and bladder are so close to your uterus, one or both organs could suffer damage during your C-section.
Some of these complications are a result of having surgery and nothing more. However, the possibility of your doctor making a mistake does exist. As a result, you could suffer lifelong health consequences. If you believe a mistake occurred and you suffered serious repercussions because of it, seek legal guidance to examine your situation and determine your options.