Medical professionals are an integral part of helping to prevent birth injuries. They provide comprehensive prenatal care to mothers and infants and, with their skills and experience, help ensure that nothing goes awry in the birth process.
Careless medical professionals whose care deviates from the appropriate standard of care can cause significant and long-term injuries to infants when they fail to prevent birth injuries.
The Role of Washington, D.C. Medical Professionals in Preventing Birth Injuries
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals play a critical role in preventing birth injuries and protecting the lives of mothers and infants. Providing comprehensive and proper care means monitoring women and fetuses from conception to birth, educating and communicating with families about growth and development, and responding to medical issues and emergencies.
Proper maternal care helps protect both mother and baby from typical complications and birth injuries. Proper pre-and postnatal care requires that the medical professional or facility deliver an accepted medical standard of care without deviating from that standard of care. It can mean committing to providing proper prenatal care to mother and baby, monitoring fetal health and development during pregnancy and childbirth, and responding appropriately to medical complications and emergencies. Any medical professional providing obstetric or pre-natal care or engaged in facilitating the birth process should aim to prevent birth-related trauma and injuries to the mother and infant.
Some of the ways Washington, D.C., healthcare professionals can monitor the health and wellness of a mother and her infant during pregnancy, labor, and delivery can include:
- Providing regular prenatal check-ups
- Monitoring fetal size and position during pregnancy and delivery
- Conducting ultrasounds and anatomy scans when necessary
- Utilizing tests that monitor the health of the mother
- Checking for signs of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- Monitoring fetal heart rate monitoring during labor
- Checking the newborn for signs of jaundice or other abnormalities or medical conditions
- Monitoring the mother for signs of excessive bleeding during labor and delivery
- Monitoring the newborn at regular intervals for signs of respiratory distress
Medical professionals need to advocate for obstetrics patients, providing care that prioritizes the mother and baby and prevents birth injuries and other issues.
What Causes Birth Injuries?
When a healthcare professional deviates from the medically accepted standard of care or acts with reckless or malicious intent, the health of a mother and her unborn child is at risk. Failing to monitor the health and wellness of a woman and her child can result in devastating and life-long medical complications and potentially death for the mother, her child, or both.
Some of the most common causes of birth injuries involve failing to monitor the mother and child, improper use of medical equipment, failing to address fetal distress, and delayed delivery. These issues can occur when medical professionals provide insufficient monitoring or care during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
Signs of insufficient monitoring and care can include:
- Failing to monitor the health of the mother or fetus before birth
- Failing to monitor fetal heart rate during labor and delivery
- Failing to diagnose abnormal fetal heart rates and other abnormalities
- Failing to detect fetal distress
- Leaving a baby unattended for too long
- Failing to order a cesarian section when necessary
- Handling an infant too forcefully
- Improper use of medical tools or equipment like forceps or vacuum extraction
Birth injuries can lead to physical and mental developmental delays and disability that may impact a child for the rest of their life.
A Washington, D.C. Birth Injury Attorney Can Help Your Family
If you believe your child suffered a birth injury due to the actions of a medical professional, it is time to speak with an experienced birth injury attorney. At Simeone & Miller LLP, we advocate for you and your child, working to pursue compensation for your family. Contact our office today for a free consultation.