What Types of C-Section Mistakes Commonly Lead to Medical Malpractice Claims?

 Posted on September 09, 2020 in Medical Malpractice

About a third of all babies are delivered via cesarean section or “c-section.” In some cases, a mother chooses to have a c-section birth instead of a vaginal birth. Other times, an emergency c-section is needed to prevent the baby from suffering asphyxia or other harm. If you or your baby were injured and you suspect that medical negligence contributed to the injury, contact a medical malpractice attorney for help investigating the medical staff’s actions. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages.

Delayed C-Sections Put Babies Lives at Risk  

When a woman goes into labor, doctors and nurses must be vigilant for signs that labor is not progressing normally. Abnormalities with the infant’s heart rate is often the first sign that he or she is in distress. An emergency c-section may be needed if the baby’s head is too big to fit through the mother’s pelvis, placental abruption or uterine rupture occurs, there is a prolapsed umbilical cord, or there are other problems that make vaginal birth too risky.

If there are indications that an emergency c-section is the safer option, doctors must quickly make the decision to perform a c-section and begin the procedure. The time between the decision to deliver a baby via c-section and the actual delivery is called the “decision delivery interval” (DDI). If a medical professional waits too long to decide to perform a c-section or the DDI is too great, the infant can suffer severe, life-threatening medical complications.

Surgical Mistakes May Lead to Maternal Injury and Harm to the Baby

Surgical errors during the c-section can be just as dangerous as a delayed c-section. Bladder and bowel lacerations, perforations, and burns occur when the surgeon damages the mother’s bladder or bowels during the surgery. The problem is especially serious if the surgeon does not realize the mistake and repair the damage before the woman leaves the hospital. Injury to the bowels and bladder can lead to severe infections that may require additional surgery to correct. One of the most egregious surgical mistakes occurs when a surgeon leaves foreign objects, such as surgical sponges, inside the mother’s abdomen. Surgical errors may also cause the baby to be cut or otherwise injured. Babies who suffer oxygen deprivation during the procedure may develop conditions such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or cerebral palsy.

Contact a Freeport Birth Injury Lawyer

At Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, we help c-section injury victims obtain financial compensation for their injuries and the injuries sustained by their children. If you or your baby were harmed by the negligent actions of a medical professional, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and much more. Call our office today at 815-215-7561 and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Winnebago County medical malpractice lawyer to learn more.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29212457/

https://www.livescience.com/61825-woman-had-two-sponges-inside-body.html