Advances made in obstetrical science in recent years have offered up several solutions that have helped to decrease the risk of serious complications involving both mothers and babies in Los Angeles during the delivery process significantly. However, these new techniques must be carefully administered and monitored as they often involve prompting chemical and biophysical reactions in the mother’s body to assist with delivery. These changes may cause stress on an unborn baby, which necessitates the need for monitoring so that more aggressive interventions may be taken should the situation call for it.
The failure to properly apply delivery assistance techniques has been listed as the reason for a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by an Ohio couple against the Pennsylvania medical center where their son was born as well as against the doctor who delivered him. They claim that the doctor incorrectly administered the medication Pitocin to the woman after he failed to notice that the woman was progressing in her delivery. They also contend that he continued to give her the drug even after it was shown that the baby’s heart rate was slowing. As result of his errors, as well as delays in delivering the baby once he was in the birth canal, the boy suffers from cerebral palsy, which now requires around the clock care as well as modifications to the family’s home to accommodate him.
Thanks to improvements in medical care, complicated procedures such as delivering a baby may seem routine to many. Doctors, however, should understand that each case offers up different challenges. A failure on their part to adequately address such challenges may open them up to accusations of negligence. Those wishing to make such a claim may want to see seek the assistance of an attorney in doing so.
Source: The Legal Intelligencer “Western Pa. Federal Jury $14.5M Over Birth Injury” Mitchell, Max, Jan. 30, 2017
