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Misdiagnosis may result in birth injuries

On Behalf of | Jan 11, 2021 | Birth Injuries

Having a baby may be one of the most exciting, joyful yet challenging and worrisome experiences of your life. Whether it’s your first-time giving birth or you’ve had several children already, no two pregnancies or birthing experiences are exactly the same. There is always a risk that a birth injury might occur. This is why it’s imperative that you stay closely connected to a California obstetrician or midwife and medical team.

They can monitor your prenatal care as well as labor and delivery and postpartum care. There’s no such thing as a silly question when it comes to alleviating your concerns and making sure you understand what is happening with you and your baby. It’s also always a good idea to report any symptoms that cause you to think something might be wrong. The average obstetrician can recognize signs of maternal or fetal distress and knows what to do to keep you and your baby safe.

Birth injuries that may cause you or your child to suffer

Both you and your baby will go through an intense birthing process with various changes taking place in your bodies. Your medical team will monitor both of your vital signs to make sure everything is going well. The following list includes injuries that may occur if the birthing process doesn’t go as planned:

  • If your infant is in an awkward position in the womb or as he or she navigates the birth canal, a bone, nerve or joint injury can occur.
  • A baby might suffer a clavicle fracture as his or her shoulders pass through the birth canal.
  • When an infant’s head is pulled one way but an arm is pulled another during birth, he or she might suffer a brachial plexus injury.

The injuries mentioned here are orthopedic injuries. Your child may be at risk for numerous other types of birth injuries as well, especially if a doctor, nurse or other medical team member is negligent during labor and delivery. For instance, if you or your child show signs of distress, your obstetrician should determine whether a C-section is needed.

What if your doctor doesn’t act in time?

During prenatal visits, labor and delivery, your doctor monitors your and your baby’s conditions to make sure you are faring well. If you have high blood pressure, for instance, or gestational diabetes, this means you are a high-risk pregnancy, and your medical team understands ahead of time that there might be a need for a C-section.

If your doctor fails to act when you or your baby shows symptoms of distress, this failure to act might place you and your child at risk for severe birth injuries. In fact, it may place you in a life-threatening situation. Such cases often lead to litigation when a mother who suffers a birth injury or a parent acting on behalf of an infant files a medical malpractice claim against one or more people deemed responsible for their suffering.