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Cherry Hill Fetal Death Lawyers
Our Cherry Hill fetal death attorneys offer tough representation when birth injuries are fatal
Learning that your fetus died before having one breath or immediately after being born is unimaginable. Yet, stillbirths and deaths during labor happen all too often. At Ferrara & Gable, our Cherry Hill fetal death lawyers work with physicians who specialize in maternity care and delivery care. We’re skilled at showing why your fetus never had a chance at life and why the doctors and hospitals acted negligently. Our birth injury lawyers file wrongful death claims when medical malpractice takes the life of your child.
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How can we help?
- What does it mean to be born stillborn?
- Why do stillbirths happen in Cherry Hill?
- What tests are used to determine why a stillbirth occurred?
- What happens if a stillbirth occurs in Cherry Hill?
- Why do fetal deaths occur during delivery?
- When is fetal death due to medical malpractice?
- What damages can you seek in a Cherry Hill fetal death claim?
- Do you have a Cherry Hill fetal death lawyer near me?
What does it mean to be stillborn?
The Cleveland Clinic defines a stillbirth as the death of a fetus more than 20 weeks after pregnancy. A miscarriage occurs when the fetus passes away in the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy. Most stillbirths happen in the uterus. Fetal deaths during delivery do happen but they’re rare. Stillbirths are heartbreaking and devastating because they turn the lives of parents upside down and end the life of your child.
Stillbirths are classified as follows:
- Early stillbirth. Fetal death occurs between 20-27 weeks.
- Late stillbirth. Fetal death occurs between 28-36 weeks.
- Term stillbirth. Fetal death occurs after the 37th
Parents can seek wrongful death damages if the stillbirth was due to the negligence of the doctors. The mother may also have a personal injury claim if she suffered during the pregnancy due to medical malpractice.
Every parent, from the moment they learn they’re going to have a child, dreams of the joy of imagining the life their children will live. It’s crushing to learn that your fetus will never have a life. It’s unbearable to learn that life could have been prevented if the pregnancy doctors or delivery doctors had acted professionally.
Why do stillbirths happen in Cherry Hill?
Pregnancy healthcare providers such as obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs), family doctors, and midwives should know the risks and causes that may lead to stillbirth and be ready to advise the mother about what precautions to take.
Common risks include:
- Mothers who are teenagers or 35 or older
- High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and other health disorders
- Mothers who are carrying twins
- Prior pregnancy complications
- Alcohol, drug, or smoking use
- Stress
The causes of a stillbirth include:
- Placenta difficulties that can prevent your fetus from getting the nutrients the fetus needs. Placenta abruption, which occurs when the placenta and the uterus separate. About 10-20 percent of stillbirths are due to placenta abruption.
- Twisted umbilical cords, which can prevent the fetus from getting enough oxygen. Twisted umbilical cords account for 10 percent of stillbirths.
- Genetic conditions that affect the fetus.
- Intrauterine growth restriction, which limits the nutrition the fetus needs.
- Pregnancy complications such as:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Preeclampsia or high blood pressure
- Cholestasis of pregnancy – a type of liver disease
- Premature birth – the baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy
- Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPOM). This condition occurs when “the fluid-filled protective sac surrounding the fetus breaks too early.”
Some mothers experience cramps and vaginal bleeding.
What tests are used to determine why a stillbirth occurred?
At Ferrara & Gable, we work with skilled pregnancy and delivery doctors who review the medical care the mother and fetus received and failed to receive. We review what tests were given including:
- Tests that look for infections, including blood tests, urine tests, and testing cells for the mother’s vagina or cervix.
- Blood tests that look for different types of pregnancy complications.
- Genetic tests of the umbilical cord to look for certain types of genetic disorders such as Down syndrome.
- An autopsy, if the parents consent to determine the cause of death.
What happens if a stillbirth occurs in Cherry Hill?
Generally, the mother is advised about the following possibilities:
- Induced labor – starting labor as soon as the stillbirth occurs by the use of medicine to start the labor.
- Natural birth – labor usually starts two weeks after the fetal death occurs
- C-section – this procedure may be used if the mother’s health is at risk. Cesarians for stillbirths are rare.
Why do fetal deaths occur during delivery?
Fetal deaths may also occur during surgery if the fetus doesn’t get the oxygen the fetus needs, the brain doesn’t get the blood the brain needs, problems with the placenta or umbilical cord, infections, or other complications develop.
When is fetal death due to medical malpractice?
Pregnancy doctors may be liable for the death of a fetus if they fail to provide the medical care that competent pregnancy doctors in Cherry Hill would have provided – and that failure causes the death of the fetus.
OB/GYNs and other healthcare providers who are responsible for the health of a mother and fetus should understand the risk factors for stillbirths and advise the mothers to take actions to reduce or monitor those risks.
Some active risk factors that may be medical malpractice include:
- Failing to provide competent medical care if the fetal movement of the baby (which normally begins between 16 and 25 weeks) is not more apparent and more frequent as the fetus ages. Fetal movement failures may be a sign that the placenta is not functioning properly.
- Failing to identify intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) that reduces a baby’s development in the mother’s womb. Your doctor should monitor the mother and fetus more closely if IUGR exists.
IUGR is tested by examining the mother’s “fundal height,” the mother’s weight, ultrasound, fetal monitoring, and amniocentesis. Treatment options include an early delivery, including the possibility of a C-section. “If your provider recommends an induction, they may give you medication to help your baby’s lungs develop.”
- Risk factors if the baby survives include breathing and eating problems, lack of oxygen at birth, low blood sugar at birth, difficulty regulating body temperature, and difficulty following infections. There may be long-term complications too.
Failing to discover placental abruption. This condition prevents the fetus from getting the proper nutrition because the placental separates from the uterus. Symptoms that your doctor should look for include bleeding, painful contractions, back pain, and pain in the womb or abdomen.
What is a wrongful birth?
If your doctors failed to advise you of serious genetic disorders or test results that indicate your fetus will die once the fetus is born – or that your newborn will live but will suffer from serious health problems – you may be able to file a “wrongful birth” claim. Our Cherry Hill medical malpractice lawyers will explain if and when you can file a wrongful birth claim and what damages you can be awarded.
What damages can you seek in a Cherry Hill fetal death claim?
At Ferrara & Gable, we demand compensation for the damages caused by the tragic and avoidable death of a fetus. The damage claim includes:
- The funeral and burial costs
- The associated medical costs such as the cost to include labor
- Any medical costs incurred to try to save the life of the baby
Do you have a Cherry Hill fetal death lawyer near me?
Ferrara & Gable’s office is located at 601 Longwood Avenue in Cherry Hill, NJ. There’s accessible parking. You can also reach us by the Rt. 38 bus. Our lawyers schedule phone and video conferences when necessary.
We’ve helped many New Jersey residents obtain strong settlements and verdicts in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Compassionate Cherry Hill fetal death lawyers helping South Jersey families seek justice
At Ferrara & Gable, our Cherry Hill fetal death lawyers understand how devastating it for your fetus to die before you can even say hello to your baby. We’ll guide you through this extremely upsetting time by answering all your questions, explaining your rights, and working to hold the negligent healthcare providers accountable. Call us or contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We’ll fight to honor the memory of your child.