Jury Finds Against Doctor In Lawsuit Alleging The Physician Overlooked Umbilical Cord Compression And Child Suffered Brain Injury As A Result
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-11-11 01:33:43 | Word Count: 619
Doctors realize that there are many complications that can arise during a woman's pregnancy and that some complications can result in considerable injuries and even the death of the unborn baby. An umbilical cord compression is a particularly serious risk to the unborn child. This condition develops when undue pressure is placed on the umbilical cord. This complication normally comes up in one of 2 scenarios. The first takes place if there is a compression of the cord if it slips into the birth canal as the baby is descending. The second happens when the cord becomes wrapped around the baby's neck. The pressure on the cord leads to a restriction of the supply of necessary blood and oxygen.
If doctors or nurses find a significant slowing down of the baby's heart rate they ought to consider a cord compression as a possible reason. The slowing down typically comes in waves or episodes referred to as decelerations. If the baby's heart rate drops too low and does not quickly return to normal immediate action needs to be takes to protect the baby from suffering brain damage or death due to the lack of oxygen. If the compression is not severe then repositioning the mother to decrease pressure on the cord, or giving her oxygen and fluids, may alleviate the problem. In those cases where these methods do not relieve the pressure on the cord, it might become necessary to perform an emergency C-section.
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By not timely diagnosing a cord compression and taking the proper action without delay a doctor or nurse might lead to a delay that brings about considerable harm or even the death of the baby. If this happens that doctor or nurse may be liable in a lawsuit for medical malpractice or wrongful death. In one reported case, an expectant mother, at full term, showed up at the hospital for the planned delivery of her baby. The staff gave her Pitocin to induce labor. Following the administration of the drug, the fetal heart rate monitor showed a series of umbilical cord compressions as decelerations of the unborn baby's heart rate. The staff repositioned the mother after which the baby's heart rate went back to normal.
Unfortunately, when the woman asked to use the bathroom, the obstetrics resident disconnected the fetal heart rate monitor. It was discontinued for eleven minutes. These eleven minutes were vital. The cord became compressed restricting the baby's oxygen supply. The baby was born suffering from asphyxiation with resulting severe mental retardation and cerebral palsy.
No settlement was reached in this lawsuit and so the lawsuit went to trial. During the trial evidence revealed that leaving the fetal heart rate monitor disconected for those eleven minutes given that the unborn baby had experienced a series of heart rate decelerations amounted to medical malpractice. Essentially, it came with too high a risk that there could be further umbilical cord compressions that would not be discovered and therefore would not, and indeed did not, lead to the application of additional procedures like further position changes and, if required, an emergency C-section that could have kept the child from suffering brain damage. The law firm revealed that the jury returned a verdict of $15.8 million for the family.
Author Resource:-
Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney accepting medical malpractice and birth injury cases. You can learn more about birth injury cases including those involving group b streptococcus matters visit the website
