Family Pursues Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Claiming Physician Failed To Adequately Check Twins
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-12-11 00:23:32 | Word Count: 720
A monoamniotic-monochorionic twin pregnancy is a situation where two unborn babies share the same amniotic sac. This is an extraordinarily rare high risk pregnancy, which can cause the umbilical cords of the two unborn babies to become entangled. In the event that this occurs both babies could die or one of the twins could die and the other suffer a severe brain injury. In situations where umbilical cord occlusion takes place, time is of the essence for the doctor to recognize the complication and do an emergency C-section.
In a certain number of pregnancies with twins a situation can come up in which the two twins grow within a single amniotic sac. This predicament is referred to as a monoamniotic-monochorionic pregnancy. There is the likelihood that the umbilical cords can become entangled placing at risk the health and even the live of the babies. Under certain circumstances where there is umbilical cord occlusion both twins die. In other scenarios one twin survives but suffers severe brain damage. Doctors typically concur that these pregnancies ought to be thoroughly monitored. By doing this, if an umbilical cord complication develops a timely emergency C-section can save the twins.
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In the uncommon circumstance in which unborn twins share the same amniotic sac there is a substantial danger that their umbilical cords will become entangled. This cuts off the oxygen supply to the twins. In some cases both babies die. In some other cases even though one baby survives that twin is left with a serious brain injury. An emergency C-section as soon as an umbilical cord occlusion happens is the one way to keep both babies alive and without a brain injury. This calls for careful monitoring of the mother throughout the pregnancy for indications that the umbilical cords are knotted.
One sort of high risk pregnancy occurs when the woman is carrying twins in a single amniotic sac, a situation called monoamniotic-monochorionic twins. This kind of pregnancy is correlated with the risk of umbilical cord entanglement. In case this occurs the oxygen supply to the babies can become restricted. Oxygen is necessary for the babies to be health. Exposure to an extended period of oxygen insufficiency can produce brain damage or possibly the death of the babies. Considering that this is a known complication of a monoamniotic-monochorionic twin pregnancy the expectant mother's doctor ought to thoroughly monitor the pregnancy for any signals of umbilical cord occlusion. Physicians normally agree that to be able to protect the life and health of the babies the medically appropriate course of action is an emergency C-section as soon as clues of this complication turn up.
Below we look at a reported case in which the pregnant woman was diagnosed with this type of pregnancy. Starting in the 26th week of the pregnancy her doctor ordered twice a week non-stress testing to monitor vital signs of her twins. Although it was common practice to admit the mother and have the twins monitored every day, the doctor failed to do this and at some point between 2 tests, one twin passed away and the other twin sustained significant brain damage.
The parents filed a case claiming medical malpractice. While the mother and father had suffered a heartbreaking loss, the defense would not settle. The law firm that represented the family took the lawsuit to trial. After overcoming several procedural hurdles and an appeal by the defense, the Appeals Court upheld the jury award to the family in the amount of $3.0 Million. In the Appeals Court's opinion, numerous studies and articles were cited which explained that to keep the babies alive and healthy it is required to admit the pregnant woman around the twenty sixth week of her pregnancy and to do non-stress tests at least daily, if not 2 or 3 times daily, to check on the vital signs of the twins.
Author Resource:-
Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney accepting birth injury medical malpractice cases. You can get a free attorney consultation about stillbirth and other birth injury matters such as streptococcus meningitis cases by visiting the websites
