When a Doctor or other medical professional does not correctly monitor and manage a high risk pregnancy, they can legally be held responsible should a birth related injury or death occur as a result of their negligent behavior. Both child and mother could be in severe danger as a result of not diagnosing and properly caring for a high risk pregnancy. If you or someone you know has been a victim of medical malpractice during a high risk pregnancy, contact the personal injury attorneys of Finkelstein and Partners, LLP today. Our experienced team of medical malpractice attorneys will stop at nothing to make sure you receive the compensation you need and deserve.
Medical issues that may put an expectant mother at high risk during pregnancy may include, above average age of the expectant mother, high blood pressure, premature delivery, abnormal weight of mother or baby, premature rupture of membranes, heart problems or multiple births.
Premature births place the child at much greater risk for birth related injuries and developmental issues down the road. This may include developmental delays, delivery trauma and mental retardation. In an effort to allow the baby to further develop, it is the Doctor’s job to try to delay the delivery for as long as possible. However, sometimes there is no way to avoid premature delivery and the Doctor must take the baby to keep both the mother and child healthy. Should the mother’s medical professional not monitor this situation correctly, resulting in injury to either the mother or child, medical malpractice may be present.
Another factor that can put a pregnancy at high risk is the mother’s age. Any woman aged 35 or older, may be at higher risk for delivering a child with birth defects like Down syndrome. These older woman are also at high risk for miscarriage. With many advances in medical technology, it is becoming increasingly more common for woman of older ages to have babies. However, these situations need careful medical monitoring and risks should be discussed between mother and doctor.
Multiple births can also result in a high risk pregnancy and delivery. When a mother is pregnant with twins or more, routine testing and regular prenatal doctor visits are necessary to make sure that the babies are safe and healthy. The doctor should perform routine stress tests and ultrasounds to make sure that the babies are developing properly and are on the road to a successful delivery.
Finally, babies that are larger in size tend to put pregnancies at a higher risk as well. Babies who are excessively heavy are prone to birth related injuries and put their mother’s at risk of injury as well. Often times, babies of abnormally large size are delivered by cesarean section to prevent injuries or stress on both mother and baby.
While high risk pregnancies are common, the incidence of medical malpractice during such pregnancies is also unfortunately common. If you or someone you know has been a victim of medical malpractice during a high risk pregnancy, contact the personal injury attorneys of Finkelstein and Partners, LLP today. Our team of medical malpractice professionals will offer you compassionate representation and will work with you to win back your losses. Call us today at (800) 529-2676.