Medical Negligence within Pregnancy and Birth
The birth of a new born baby is a very special time for the whole family, especially the parents. Being pregnant however is a daunting experience, especially if it is for the first time. During pregnancy you have to put all your faith into your midwife and doctor; usually this isn’t a problem and the medical staff looking after you do everything possible to ensure you have everything you need. If however they fail to treat you correctly and it results in some kind of injury you may be able to claim for clinical negligence.
Thankfully, the vast majority of pregnancies and births happen without any problems at all; however, when something does go wrong it can be very serious. You could have complications during the pregnancy such as Maternal Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes, Pre Eclampsia, Uterine Rupture and Placental Abruption. You also have the potential of suffering complications during labour. These complications can include the following:
• Cerebral Palsy
• Episiotomy
• Erb's Palsy or Brachial Plexus Injuries
• Forceps Delivery or Ventouse Delivery
Any injury or illness that you sustain during pregnancy or the birth could be extremely harmful to you and your baby. It is one aspect of health that should be continually monitored by a sufficient amount of staff. There is a wide range of medical professionals who should be present during birth, including midwives, nurses and consultants as well as obstetrics, which is a branch of medical professionals that oversee the care of women during their pregnancy and throughout the birth. A person who works in obstetrics has to supervise and monitor to catch any potentially damaging conditions that could affect the mother or baby throughout the pregnancy and birth.
The birth can be difficult for both mother and baby and if too much pressure is placed on the babies neck and head it can cause a condition know as Erb’s Palsy. Another condition that can regularly affect babies during birth is Cerebral Palsy. It is said that about 10% of babies are born with this condition is as a result of medical negligence. Cerebral Palsy is usually sustained as a result of oxygen deprivation during a traumatic birth, an aspect of childbirth that should be controlled and stopped from happening.
As well as injuries to the baby, injuries can also occur to mothers. The most common problems faced by mothers as a result of a lack of care include incorrect stitching after episiotomy, which is a procedure to give a baby extra room during childbirth. Another common injury is a vaginal tear, which can often go missed or be misjudged, which can lead to pain, suffering and continual problems if it is not deal with properly.
If you do suffer a difficult pregnancy or birth that should have been avoided then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. If your injuries or your child’s injuries occurred in the last three years as a direct result of the actions or inactions taken by the medical team looking after you then get in touch with a legal team today who will be able to help you in all aspects of your compensation claim.
About the Author
Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all areas of Medical Negligence claims, including Pregnancy and Birth Injuries.
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