Inadequate Prenatal Care Harming Mother Or Child
If you’ve been searching for information regarding negligent prenatal care, you’ve come to the right place.
You may be feeling confused and angry now, and even be blaming yourself for what has happened to your child because of negligent prenatal care.
Please understand that you are not to blame – you did nothing wrong.You trusted a medical professional to provide you with the utmost care, and your trust was violated.
The attorneys at The Oshman Firm are dedicated to representing victims of medical malpractice and are here to give you answers, and help you move forward.
Common Cases Of Negligent Prenatal Care
Failure To Diagnose
According to U.S. News, in 2016, a birth took place every eight seconds in the United States. Unfortunately, not every birth turned out as planned. Whether it is failing to diagnose a pre-existing medical condition in the mother or failing to identify the correct birth defect in the baby, negligent prenatal care is an issue our firm takes very seriously.
Contact us today by calling (800) 400-8182. We offer a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. We want to hear about your experience and will help you determine the next best course of action. You need an advocate – we will be your advocates.
Failure to Diagnose a Medical Condition
Prenatal testing is one of the most significant aspects of prenatal care. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most common areas where mistakes are made.
Specifically, when a pregnancy is determined to be “high risk,” prenatal testing becomes even more critical. A high-risk pregnancy can often include women of advanced ages, women who suffer from high blood pressure or women who have gestational diabetes. It is the obstetrician’s responsibility to identify these issues and, in some cases, recommend a fetal specialist or neonatologist. Failure to do so could result in the medical professional being held liable for negligent prenatal care.
Common Medical Conditions Tested For
Prenatal medical conditions that should be identified early on include – but are not limited to:
- Gestational Diabetes
- High Levels of Bilirubin
- Preeclampsia
- Hypoglycemia
- Anemia
Doctors have an ethical responsibility to provide you with facts and information about your pregnancy. The sooner a condition is detected, the greater the chance of it being addressed in a timely manner. This early detection ensures the best possible outcome for both mother and child. Otherwise, both could experience painful, complicated and unnecessary disorders.
Did your doctor fail to diagnose you with a medical condition that should have been caught? If so, you may be eligible for compensation. While a monetary settlement cannot undo the pain and suffering your family has had to endure, it could help alleviate the financial burden of medical bills and missed wages.
Failure to Diagnose a Contagious Disease
It is not wrong to trust in doctors, and believe – or hope – they will take care of us. However, when they fail to identify a contagious disease in a mother that can pass on to the baby, both can suffer severely.
Negligence in prenatal care is unacceptable.
Mothers can pass contagious diseases onto their unborn children, such as genital herpes or neonatal lupus. But if a doctor or medical professional fails to diagnose the mother with this disease, that doctor can be held liable for any medical conditions that occur during or after the pregnancy (i.e. if the baby contracts the mother’s disease).
When identified early on, appropriate measures can be taken to help ensure that both mother and baby are protected, or kept as healthy as possible throughout the pregnancy and birthing process. It is still the doctor’s responsibility to make such identifications.
Failure to Identify a Birth Defect
Not only is it crucial for doctors and medical professionals to test the mother for contagious diseases and pre-existing conditions, but the unborn child should also be checked for potential birth defects.
Common Birth Defects Detected Early
- Down Syndrome
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Hemophilia
- Thalassemia
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
When Your Baby Is Diagnosed With A Birth Defect
Some birth defects can be extremely troubling and even life-threatening for the child. In certain situations where parents learn their unborn baby has an incurable and painful birth defect that could affect the child’s quality of life, they may make the difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy.
This is the parents’ decision to make – no one else’s. For the parents to properly do this, they need to be thoroughly informed by the doctor of all existing issues, and how they could potentially affect the baby or mother if the fetus is carried to full term.
If the decision is made to continue with the pregnancy despite birth defects, knowing about and understanding these defects can help the mother better prepare for giving birth. For example, some birth defects warrant a C-section. Or, immediate treatment and special care may need to be arranged for the baby directly following the birth. If parents don’t have ample time to provide such care, the consequences can be devastating.
Failure to Diagnose an Ectopic Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy often occurs early on, usually during the first few weeks of pregnancy. This process can be very painful, in which the fertilized egg stays in the fallopian tube. Unfortunately, this implanted egg cannot survive, and is most likely to miscarry or rupture. If the ectopic pregnancy grows, it can damage vital organs and put pressure on them, causing complications for the mother. Immediate treatment is required.
Complications of a Misdiagnosed Ectopic Pregnancy
When detected early enough, treatment can potentially prevent fertility problems and other health complications, including:
- Life-threatening bleeding
- Infertility and/or other ectopic pregnancies
- Emotional impact, such as grief
- Surgery
- Death
If you have suffered due to a misdiagnosis and treatment of ectopic pregnancy, you may qualify for a lawsuit. Medical professionals have a responsibility to perform the necessary tests to detect signs of complications and abnormalties. Failure to do so is a sign of negligence.
If You Suspect Negligent Prenatal Care
When it comes to you and your child, you both deserve only the best and most professional care. You want to trust your doctor and believe he or she has your best interest at heart. When this doesn’t happen and mistakes are made, they can be tragic.
Proving medical malpractice and negligent prenatal care can often be difficult, which is why it is significantly beneficial to have a professional on your side – an experienced advocate who has the knowledge and skills to fight for you.
How to Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney
At The Oshman Firm, we have decades of combined legal experience helping those who have been wronged. If you or your child has suffered due to negligent prenatal care, we want to offer our sincerest condolences. While we cannot imagine what you and your family have had to endure, we can assist you in moving on with your life and hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.
Contact us today by calling (800) 400-8182 for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. From making phone calls to collecting medical records, we will handle all aspects of your case, allowing you to focus on what’s important: your family’s healing. We are here for you.