Prenatal Issues and Medical Negligence

In a recent study of medical malpractice cases in the Unites States, it was found that of all plaintiff patients, 60% were female, with a median age of 38 years. Approximately one-fifth was newborns while roughly 12% were over the age of 65.

According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), for inpatient incidents, 34%of medical malpractice claims were caused by surgery errors while for outpatient incidents, 46% of all medical malpractice claims were a result of error in diagnosis.

A doctor's failure to provide proper health management to a mother during pregnancy can lead to serious risks and complications. Pregnancy is a complicated process during which many changes occur in the body chemistry of the mother.

These are expected changes, but when a doctor fails to properly address and manage the risks associated with pregnancy, it can have devastating consequences such as cerebral palsy, developmental disability and mental retardation, seizures, vision and hearing loss, and infant death. If proper precautions are not taken during pregnancy, there can be issues during delivery and after birth.

Blood Pressure Problems - High blood pressure, or hypertension, in the mother during pregnancy can cause potential harm to the development of a baby. Hypertension can be:

• Long-term or chronic, which means it started before the pregnancy
• Gestational, which means that it started after the 20^th week of pregnancy
• Other conditions that are related to high blood pressure include:
• Preeclampsia, which is a form of gestational hypertension in which there is a high level of protein in the urine
• Eclampsia, in which the mother develops grand mal seizures

When high pressure problems are not diagnosed and treated properly, the risk of neonatal bran injury and infant death can increase.

Blood Sugar Problems - When diabetes exists before the pregnancy or develops during pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes, and is not properly managed by the obstetrician, a number of complications can arise, threatening the life of both mother and child.

If gestational diabetes is not treated, additional blood glucose can be passed to the infant from the mother, causing extra insulin to be produced by the child's pancreas. This in turn can result in macrosomia, which leads to excessive fetal size and weight that can bring on early labor and delivery. This can also be accompanied by breathing difficulties and respiratory distress.

Gestational diabetes can result in further health issues for the mother, such as excessively high blood pressure, long-term type 2 diabetes, preeclampsia, and organ damage. It is also associated with a higher risk of infant death.

Other prenatal issues that are caused by improper care or medical negligence include decreased blood flow to the baby, blood type complications, and infections. It is important for mothers to make sure that their doctors provide quality care to lower risk of complications to them and their baby.

A Law Firm for the Ages

If you believe that improper medical care has caused health problems for you or your baby, you should immediately seek the help of the qualified and experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falloff & Wolff of RMFW Law at 212-344-1000.

The first meeting is free. You pay us nothing. Is your viable? What is your side of the story? Give us a call at RMFW Law so we can discuss these relevant issues and determine a proper course of action.