Understanding and Responding to Birth Injuries
Pregnancy for many people is a wonderful time, but some people experience a great amount of anxiety and stress during this period. Medical care professionals can make mistakes during childbirth that can result in serious consequences. When these errors occur, medical professionals can be held liable for their mistakes. The assistance of skilled legal representation in these situations is vital, though, in fighting for the compensation that a person deserves.
The Difference Between Birth Injuries and Birth Defects
It is important for people to understand the difference between birth injuries and birth defects. While birth defects are not avoidable medical conditions, birth injuries are almost always preventable and can be caused by a doctor or medical professional using improper methods that result in the injury.
Common Examples of Birth Injuries
Some examples of things that lead to birth injuries include giving incorrect medication or dosage before or during labor, improperly monitoring a baby’s distress or heartbeat, misusing medical tools, not performing necessary c-sections, and positioning a child incorrectly during delivery. Some birth defects can harm a child in the short-term while other injuries can last the rest of a child’s life.
Factors That Increase a Child’s Chances of a Birth Injury
There are some factors that can significantly increase the chances that a child will be born with a birth injury. Some of these factors include abnormal pelvic architecture, deliveries that involve mechanical assistance like forceps, excessive force in a delivering a fetus, larger sized fetuses, the position of the fetus in utero, prematurity, and stormy labor and delivery. Other factors that can increase the risk of a birth injury include low Apgar scores, low cord blood pH levels, and seizures following delivery. If you notice that one or more of these factors exist with your child, make sure that you obtain the services of highly skilled medical professionals and keep a close eye on the rest of the delivery process.
Common Types of Birth Injuries
Some examples of common types of birth injuries include acidosis, APGAR, brachial plexus palsy, cephalohematoma, cerebral palsy, chorioamnionitis, cystic encephalomalacia, facial palsy, forceps injuries, fractures, global development delay, Horners syndrome, hydrocephalus, leptomeningeal cysts, microcephaly, neurological visual impairment, perinatal asphyxia, periventricular leukomalacia, postpartum hemorrhaging, and Rh-ABO incompatibility. While some of these conditions are easily treated, other conditions result in a child facing life-changing birth injuries.
Steps to Prevent Birth Injuries
Some birth injuries are fortunately preventable and caused by lack of communication between hospital staff. Some of the steps that you can take include learning about common delivery devices and procedures, researching medical staff, and understanding what happens to your child at every step of the process.
Contact a Birth Defect Lawyer
If your child’s life has been impacted by a birth defect, there is a significant risk that he or she might end up facing a physical impairment that will follow the child for the rest of his or her life. Contact a Cherry Hill birth injury lawyer at Ferrara & Gable Office today for assistance with your case and to increase your chances of obtaining the compensation you deserve from the responsible medical provider.
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