To prepare for the safest possible birthing process, doctors, nurses, and other professionals must monitor the condition of both the fetus and the mother. If you or your child was injured because signs of distress or oxygen deprivation were ignored, you should talk to a Houston birth injury lawyer at Hampton & King about your case.
Clients throughout the Houston area turn to Hampton & King for experienced medical malpractice representation. Contact our firm to learn more about your specific options.
Fetal Distress
Modern medical technology allows doctors and nurses to monitor the condition of the fetus before and during labor and delivery with an electronic fetal heart monitor. When medical providers fail to monitor properly, they may miss signs of fetal distress. Taking prompt medical action is necessary when signs of fetal distress are present. Otherwise, serious injury to the infant or mother may occur. These may be life-threatening.
Signs of fetal distress include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Slow heartbeat
- Bleeding or spotting
- Rapid change in baby’s movements
- Abnormal cardiotocography readings
- Meconium-stained amniotic fluid
If you or your child was injured when doctors or nurses failed to respond to signs of fetal distress, you should talk to a Houston attorney.
Oxygen Deprivation
While there are many potential causes of oxygen deprivation in an infant during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, the negligent acts of a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional may result in serious injuries in some cases.
Causes of medical malpractice-related oxygen deprivation may include:
- Ruptured uterus
- Placenta separation
- Failure to monitor the condition of the fetus
- Failure to perform a timely C-section
- Umbilical cord compression during labor and delivery
The effects of oxygen deprivation can be serious—potentially affecting a child for life. If you believe your child has suffered serious injuries or disability due to medical negligence during labor and delivery, you should talk to a Houston birth injury attorney at our law firm as soon as possible.
Oxygen Deprivation and Infant Brain Damage
Deficient amounts of oxygen (hypoxia) or lack of oxygen (anoxia) can cause infant brain damage. When a baby is suffering from oxygen deprivation, also referred to as “birth asphyxia,” doctors must take quick action to ensure that the lack of oxygen does not cause permanent brain damage or other serious trauma. Birth asphyxia has a number of causes. The baby could be stuck in the birth canal due to CPD, there could be umbilical cord strangulation, and premature babies could suffer from oxygen deprivation because their lungs are not fully formed.
Failure to respond to fetal distress can warrant a birth injury claim!
These types of birth injury cases are complex. That is why our team of Houston birth injury lawyers works with medical experts and thoroughly investigates cases to gain the information necessary to prove medical negligence. We are committed to providing clients state-of-the-art service every step of the way, fighting to obtain the just compensation they need to cover a lifetime of expenses. Call us at (713) 658-0231 to set up a free case review.