Doctors And Nurses Agree To $4.0 Million Settlement For Overlooked Indications Of Fetal Distress
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-08-02 20:22:17 | Word Count: 526
In the course of labor, pregnant women are generally attached to a fetal heart rate monitor. The tracings from the monitor are interpreted for indications that the health of the unborn baby is in jeapordy. Should such warning signs arise measures should be taken without delay to counteract the situation or to deliver the baby. Not acting immediately can lead to serious and permanent injury to the infant. By delaying taking timely and appropriate action doctors and nurses might be acting in a way that fails to meet the standard of care. In the event this does bring about harm to the child, these physicians and nurses may be liable for medical malpractice.
Look at a reported case involving what had been an uneventful pregnancy, the pregnant woman was 13 days beyond her due date. She was hospitalized for a scheduled delivery. Following her admission to the hospital, one of the doctors ruptured her membranes in an attempt to augment her labor. An entry in her chart documented that there was “scant to no amniotic fluid” observed. While she was being followed the fetal heart rate monitor started to show non-reassuring tracings. Nevertheless, 6 hours later a drug was administered so as to stimulate her contractions. Despite the fact that this medication is known to have the potential of producing hyperstimulation, the use of the medication was continuously increased during the period of the following several hours.
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During this period, the unborn baby’s heart rate showed noticeable late decelerations, an increasing baseline, as well as intervals of decreasing variability the drug did nothing to further her labor. On more than one occasion, two nurses attempted to deal with the decelerations however neither nurse did anything about the continued administration of the drug. Approximately seven hours subsequent to the initial administration of the drug, the fetal heart rate started progressively increasing. This was an indication that the unborn child was attempting to compensate for the lack of oxygen.
Finally, almost 4 hours after the signs of fetal distress appeared the obstetrician tried a vacuum extraction. The obstetrician made 9 attempts at vacuum extraction. As this physician tried the vacuum extraction, the fetal heart rate readings worsened to the point suspicious for terminal bradycardia. Now this physician finally decided to perform an emergency C-section. This physician delivered the infant just over 1 hour following beginning attempts at vacuum extraction.
The hospital chart noted the presence of thick meconium. The child was not breathing, had no muscle tone, no reflexes, and no heart rate. Resuscitation efforts succeeded in reviving the child. The child was taken to NICU unitThere, the baby started experiencing seizures and was. The law firm that handled the resulting claim reported that a $4,000,000 settlement was reached in the case
Author Resource:-
Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney accepting medical malpractice cases. You can learn more about fetal distress and other other birth injury matters including group b strep cases visit the website
