What is more exciting than bringing a newborn into the world? After all, the future of mankind really does depend on our children and our children’s children.

Unfortunately, labor as well as delivery can be a very complicated and unpredictable process. When an expectant mother goes through the birth process she trusts that her doctors and other medical professionals will maintain the highest of standards as they help to guide her through the childbirth process.

Doctors have to be able to make instantaneous decisions in order to protect the safety and health of the newborn and its mother. When a trained physician or other medical professional fails to observe any warning signs – or when they deviate from accepted medical standards of care – children are often unnecessarily harmed.

Birth injuries can range from those that will heal themselves and have no long term adverse affects to extremely serious injuries that can affect a child’s brain.

If, during delivery, the baby lacks oxygen for one reason or another, or if there is any bleeding within the baby’s brain or skull, then serious birth injuries are often the result. And many of these birth injuries cause irreversible brain damage.

Oxygen shortages can be caused by a number of different things. The baby may be in an unusual birth position. Or the placenta may prematurely separate from the wall of the uterus. There could also be problems with circulation within the umbilical cord. In addition, labor may be either too short or too long.

Most of the medical malpractice claims that are based on injuries due to a shortage of oxygen allege that the medical professionals involved with the birthing process failed to recognize, anticipate, or react to any of these potentially dangerous scenarios.

Other factors that can lead to birth injuries include the failure to correctly anticipate the baby’s size, the use of excessive force during the delivery, not ordering a C-section when necessary, and others.

Roughly nine and one half percent of all the medical malpractice lawsuits involve either the failure to properly diagnose problems either before or while they are happening, or the misdiagnosis of problems related to child birth.

Two types of cases that are predominate in birth injury malpractice lawsuits involve either Cerebral Palsy (CP) or Erb’s Palsy (sometimes called Brachial Plexus palsy).

Because medical professionals have accepted the responsibility of taking good care of both the mother as well as the newborn child, if there has been a breach in their actions that caused injury to either they should be held accountable.

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When a couple is expecting a child, there are many considerations that must be taken into account. They spend time planning, decorating, and buying items for the new baby. Pregnancy requires classes, doctor’s visits, and preparation before the birth. Unfortunately, even the most prepared parents-to-be may discover complications during childbirth. Even more tragic is the fact that complications may be caused by mistakes made by medical professionals in the delivery room.

The risks to both mother and baby can be very high during childbirth. Studies show that nearly 9.5% of medical malpractice suits involve misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose problems involving childbirth. Victims often feel that the complications that arise during the birthing process could have been avoided if the issue had been identified and addressed in a timely manner.

Common Childbirth Injuries

Although there are countless issues that can arise during childbirth, some common complications include:

• Death of the fetus

• Physical injury to the child (including broken bones, bruising, internal bleeding)

• Stillbirth

• Maternal death

• Brain injury

• Cerebral palsy

• Paralysis

• Maternal infection

These injuries can cause severe pain and suffering and may have lifelong effects on the mother and baby. Medical professionals should practice the utmost care when dealing with any procedures, and especially so in the case of childbirth.

Some common cases of medical malpractice during childbirth include incidents where the physicians failed to notice metabolic disorders, blood issues, and complications involving diabetes. Other issues have included failure to monitor babies after childbirth, improper evaluation during pregnancy, and physicians arriving too late to help with childbirth.

Most individuals plan and prepare for a childbirth that follows normal procedure and expectations. Unfortunately, complications have been known to arise, and the issues may have serious effects on the family and patients.

The medical staff is responsible for conducting proper evaluations and tests during the pregnancy. During childbirth, they should be prepared to execute the delivery, properly handle the child during birth, and make sure both mother and child are healthy during the process. After the birth, they are responsible for handling the child, monitoring its health, and responsibly addressing any issues that may arise.

For more information on medical malpractice involving childbirth, visit the website of the Philadelphia birth injury lawyers of the Law Offices of Lowenthal & Abrams.

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