Brooklyn Failure to Respond to Fetal Distress Injury

Because of the advances in medical technology, physicians and other medical staff are able to monitor a fetus during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Such monitoring is critical to ensure the health of the baby. For example, monitoring can show whether or not a baby is receiving enough oxygen. If monitoring indicates that the baby is in distress, then it is up to the medical staff to take the appropriate steps to make sure that the baby remains healthy. Failure to properly monitor the fetus and respond to fetal distress could result in a serious birth injury. For example, if a fetus suffers from a lack of oxygenation, the baby may suffer a brain injury, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, seizures or another serious personal injury. Other problems that can be avoided by proper monitoring include respiratory problems, a spinal cord injury, and learning disabilities. In the same way that a victim of a car accident or some other type of serious accident can seek damages from the person who caused the accident, New York law allows victims of negligent medical professionals to seek damages as well. If you or your baby suffered a serious injury as a result of a failure of the medical staff to respond to fetal distress, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Brooklyn Failure to Respond to Fetal Distress Injury Lawyer who will help you pursue compensation for your injuries and your child’s injuries through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

One of the most common types of fetal distress is related to lack of oxygenation. In other words, the baby is not getting enough oxygen. Lack of oxygen could cause the baby to suffer serious injuries such as a brain injury. Other types of problems that can be detected through proper monitoring include:

• Improper fetal development
• Erratic or decelerating fetal heartbeat
• Improper fetal positioning
• Lack of movement
• An umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck
• Bad positioning of the baby prior to delivery
• Placental eruption
• Birth hypoxia
• Shoulder dystocia

If monitoring shows that the baby is in distress, the health care professional can take steps to help. On the other hand, if the fetus is in distress and nothing is done, the baby could suffer a variety of serious problems including delayed development, cerebral palsy, or blindness.

There are two methods of fetal monitoring: external and internal. External monitoring involves strapping a device that resembles a belt around a mother’s abdomen. The device records both the mother’s contractions and baby’s heart rate. On the other hand internal monitoring involves attaching an electrode to the baby’s scalp. This type of monitoring can only be done once the mother’s cervix is dilated to 2-3 centimeters and the baby’s head is engaged. Like an external monitor, an internal fetal monitor measures the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contractions. However, an internal monitor is more accurate. With both internal and external monitoring, the information regarding the contractions and heart rate is transferred onto strips for doctors and nurses to read.

If fetal monitoring shows that the baby’s heart rate has decelerated or fluctuates in an inappropriate manner, then it is up to the medical staff to intervene to ensure the health of the baby and the mother. In some cases intervention means an emergency C-Section.

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional such as an obstetrician, nurse, or other health care professional fails to take reasonable care and as a result the patient suffers an injury. Thus, if a doctor fails to respond to fetal distress, and as a result you or your baby are injured, New York law allows you to hold that doctor and other medical professionals legally and financially liable. Medical professionals who may be held accountable for failing to respond to fetal distress include:

• Obstetricians
• Gynecologists
• Emergency room staff
• Pediatricians
• Neurologists
• Anesthesiologists
• Nurses
• Laboratories where tests were taken for analysis
• Hospitals
• Midwives

Both you and your child may pursue compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity and pain and suffering.

If you suspect that you or your baby was injured because your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional failed to properly respond to fetal distress, do not hesitate to immediately contact an experienced New York birth injury attorney. The staff at Stephen Bilkis and Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by medical professionals, as well as those injured in car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents, and other types of accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case.