Parents Sued Doctor For Death Of Their Newborn When Doctor Did Not Timely Diagnose GBS Infection
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-07-01 13:36:15 | Word Count: 573
If a newborn acquires an infection due to the group b strep bacteria there is a very substantial risk to the newborn's condition that results. This can also result in the death of the newborn. Infants who live can be left with life-long disabilities like cerebral palsy. The challenge is that there is a real threat that the infection could turn septic, produce pneumonia, or even develop into meningitis - each one of which pose a truly dangerous condition for a baby. Given the risks a group b strep infection presents to new borns physicians typically acknowledge that it is necessary to minimize the risk that the infection will be transmitted to the baby from a mother who carries, or has any of the risk factors, for the bacteria.
The conditions doctors generally take into consideration in determining whether to use antibiotics while the mother is in labor are as follow. The mother's medical history includes the detection of the GBS bacteria during a prior pregnancy. The mother was Group B Strep positive during the current pregnancy (asymptomatic expectant mothers are normally screened for Group B Strep during weeks 35 to 37 of the pregnancy). Antibiotics are also appropriate when the woman has an unknown medical history but she relates any of the known risk factors including menbrane rupture having occured more than 18 hours earlier. In the event that a doctor is conscious of a known history or the presence of any of the risk factors but fails to provide antibiotics and the child subsequently develops a Group B Streptococcus infection and experiences serious injury because of this, the doctor might be liable for failing to meet the standard of care.
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In this lawsuit a nineteen year old expectant mother went to the hospital prior to full term. While at the hospital her baby was delivered. The woman had experienced a membrane rupture ?n excess of eighteen hours ahead of entering labor. Her physician knew this. But regardless of the fact that this put the expectant mother at risk of a group b streptococcus infection the doctor did not give antibiotics for Group b streptococcus. Following delivery, the child was not breathing. The medical staff at the hospital ultimately recognized that this was due to a group b streptococcus infection. Even with efforts at treatment by the hospital staff the infant passed away two days after being born because of complications from the infection. The law firm that represented the baby's mother was able to report that the case went to trial and the jury returned a verdict in amount of $457,000.
This lawsuit shows that a group b strep infection can be deadly in a baby. The need for antibiotics in situations where the mother has any of the risk factors is thus generally stressed by physicians. Not administering antibiotics in the course of labor in a lawsuit where there is a risk that the mother might transmit the group b streptococcus bacteria to her newborn may amount to medical negligence.
Author Resource:-
Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney accepting complex injury cases. You can learn more about group b streptococcus and other birth injury matters including erbs palsy matters by visiting the website
