Delayed C-Section

Delayed C-Section

What You Should Know If An Injury Occurs

The delivery of a newborn requires a deep sense of concentration and alertness from the medical personnel involved. Emergency situations can arise in an instant that could require immediate attention and action due to the eminent threat of birth injury or death to the mother and/or baby.

Understanding the Medical Situations that Could Demand an Emergency C-Section

Medical personnel have a standard protocol to follow if a C-section is necessary. If the overseeing medical specialist fails to perform an emergency C-section in the appropriate time, the prolonged period can increase the risk of injury to both mother and newborn. A similar event can transpire if the delivery process has been unreasonably prolonged. An urgent C-section can be necessary in the following scenarios:

• Evident fetal distress
  • Arises when the infant’s heart rate drops below average
  • Can happen when a mother has taken an epidural which causes her blood pressure to suddenly drop
  • Can also happen if the mother has had any issue in regard to her placenta
• Placenta previa
  • Can arise from a mother’s low placenta and is thus covering her cervix
• Uterine rupture
  • Emerges when there is a uterus tear during the labor process and delivery
  • Undergoing a uterine rupture can cause a mother to undergo hemorrhaging
  • A uterine rupture can decrease oxygen flow to the infant
• Umbilical cord prolapse
  • Can happen if the mother’s umbilical cord has come out during delivery before the baby
  • Umbilical cord prolapse can lead to decrease of blood flow to the infant
• Placental abruption
  • Failure in the progression of the birth delivering process
  • Could occur if the mother’s cervix has not adequately dilated, if the labor has slowed down or has otherwise completely stopped

Typically, urgent C-sections need to take place within 30 minutes of the critical condition arising. This is to ensure that both the mother and the infant have a lower probability of serious injury. Unfortunately, there are countless delivery cases in which medical personnel failed to act quickly in an emergency necessitated C-Section. This has led to serious injuries to both mother and infant that can result in traumatic brain injuries, other birth injuries, and even death.

If you or someone you know suffered injuries due to a delayed C-section, a qualified attorney can help. Delayed C-sections can bring forth devastating injuries to both the mother an infant. These injuries are not only costly, they can also affect the victim for the rest of his or her life. Speaking to an attorney can help you determine if you have a valid claim. A qualified attorney can also help support you through the process of filing the claim.

When an Emergency C-Section Has Been Delayed

As previously mentioned, the delivery process necessitates clear and distinctive alertness on behalf of the medical staff overseeing the delivery. There are times, however, that medical personnel can fail to identify and thus perform an emergency C-section. This can happen even if there are evident warning signs. In other cases, an urgent C-section has been ordered. However, the medical facility is not adequately prepared for the medical procedure, which ultimately delays the C-section. These medical delays and poor medical evaluations could have detrimental consequences on a newborn baby. The following is a limited list of injuries and health risks that could afflict a newborn baby if an emergency C-section is delayed:

• A newborn can suffer brain injuries related to cerebral palsy
• A newborn can undergo a multitude of seizure disorders
• Newborns, especially premature babies, can suffer periventricular leukomalacia
• Babies can grow to have lifelong learning disabilities
• Babies can experience delays in their growth and development
• A newborn can develop Erb’s palsy, a condition that develops with the injury to a baby’s nerves in his or her arm(s), which leads to paralysis
• Other birth-related injuries could transpire

Another common birth-related injury that could develop from a delayed emergency C-section is known as hydrocephalus. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, about 1 of every 1000 children are born with hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus occurs when a fetus has an excessive accumulation of liquid in the brain. Difficulties that arise from hydrocephalus can vary and oftentimes, symptoms from this disorder do not become evident until the victim is much older.

The Importance of Obtaining the Legal Advice of a Qualified Attorney

Having a delayed C-section can present devastating consequences that can lead to lifelong medical conditions for both a mother and her newborn baby. If you or someone you know suffered injuries due to a delayed C-section, know that there may be an opportunity to file a medical malpractice claim. Injuries sustained from a delayed C-section can result in costly medical bills, lifelong disability, unnecessary stress, and severe pain, among other grievances. A birth injury attorney with the appropriate experience and knowledge can assist you in in the claims process, which includes ensuring that the claim is submitted in the required time frame.