Implications Of Physician Not Adhering To Group B Strep Guidelines With Expectant Mother
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2011-01-19 18:48:15 | Word Count: 772
Among the dangers to infants is that they may come in contact with a very harmful bacteria, called group b strep, if the mother is colonized even if the mother has no symptoms. On average, about 1 out of every 200 babies born to a mother with the Group B Strep bacteria will develop the infection. In infants, a gbs infection can turn into any of various very harmful conditions. For example, the baby may develop sepsis. These can leave the baby with considerable irreversible issues including cerebral palsy.
Physicians typically advise that antibiotics be given during labor as a way of significantly reducing the chances that the baby will contract a gbs infection. As a way to identify the babies at greatest risk of developing the infection physicians generally focus on expectant mothers who have known risk factors such as a previous positive test for the bacteria earlier in the current pregnancy or in another pregnancy. Doctors in addition generally concur that all other expectant mothers ought to generally be screened for the presence of the bacteria between weeks 35 and 37 of the pregnancy even if they exhibit no symptoms. The test is normally performed with a swab and the samples are processed in a laboratory in an enriched culture medium. The results of the test are typically known in 24 to 48 hours. The current guidelines are that a positive test result ought to trigger antibiotics during labor.
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If doctors fail to adhere to this protocol then there is a danger that the mother will pass the bacteria to the child and that the baby will develop a gbs infection. Under these circumstances physicians will typically administer antibiotics to the child as a safety measure. Furthermore, the child is carefully observed for indications of infection. There are a number of indications that may arise suggesting that the baby has an infection. These include problems breathing and lethargy. The baby may become limp or stiff. And in certain cases the baby may begin experiencing seizures. This would be followed by testing and treatment if the baby does come down with an infection. Given how quickly a group b strep infection can bring about sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis and how dangerous these are to the wellbeing of the child, treatment should start as quickly as possible, ordinarily even before test results are available. Else, there is a possibility that even if the child lives the outcome can be devastating ongoing disabilities.
There are therefore four essential phases to the protocol. In that way so that even if it is not satisfied in one stage it can be met at a later one. The first step is determining which pregnancies at at risk. This is broken down into two substeps. The first substep is knowing the mother’s history for prior gbs colonization and risk factors. Second, screening even if the mother is not a known previous carrior and exhibits no risk factors. Then there is the administration of antibiotics during labor for at risk pregnancies and pregnancies of an indeterminate status. If antibiotics are not administered, antibiotics are administered to the infant and the infant is closely watched. Lastly, if the newborn does develop an infection treatment and testing need to start immediately. The issue is that in some cases physicians fail to abide by the protocol. Hence, whether the failure arises from not taking note of risk factors or getting a full medical history, not screening the mother, not applying antibiotics during labor, not administering antibiotics or carefully checking an at risk baby after birth, or not diagnosing and treating a Group B Strep infection quickly enough, the effect can be tragic.
If doctors do not abide by the protocol and the infant suffers a serious injury or passes away the parents should discuss the matter with a medical malpractice lawyer right away. The attorney can help them understand what happened to their baby and whether the physicians or medical staff involved may be liable for medical malpractice. Given the seriousness of the harm a GBS infection can cause the baby, the settlement or award if the claim is successful has the potential to be substantial. The hope is that it can be enough to protect the child's future.
Author Resource:-
Joseph Hernandez is a lawyer accepting catastrophic injury cases. In order to learn more about group b strep infection and other birth injury lawsuits including those for an fetal distress injury visit his websites.
