When every second counts: Birth Trauma due to a Delayed Emergency C-Section
Most births occur vaginally. However, in certain circumstances a Caesarean section (also known as a C-section) needs to occur and time is of the essence.
C-sections are medically necessary whenever there is danger to the baby or to the mother.
Decisions not to undertake a C-section or delaying this decision can have enormous negative consequences for both the mother and the baby.
Typical reasons for a C-section include:
- Obvious distress of the baby (typically indicated by breathing or heartbeat anomalies). Fetal distress can cause lack of oxygen to the brain, which then leads to chronic conditions like Cerebral Palsy
- Distress of the mother, including blood pressure, cardiac complications, bleeding and other pre-existing conditions, including gestational diabetes
- Failure to progress, which means that labor has been taking place but is not going well. Either the cervix isn’t dilating sufficiently or the baby is not moving into position properly
- Breech birth, which means that the baby is not positioned head-down
- Umbilical cord issues, including a tangled or twisted umbilical cord which can choke the baby causing distress or even death. These two conditions are called umbilical prolapse and umbilical cord compression
- Uterine prolapse, which can cause the uterus to rupture in the worst case or causing an unnecessary delay in labor, which exacerbates the baby and mother’s distress.
- Issues with the placenta, particularly placenta previa, which make labor extremely fraught with danger and can cause excessive bleeding in the mother.
Why is time so important?
Medical professionals know that C-sections should result in quickly removing the baby from the mother, ending the fetal and maternal distress. Moms who have had successful C-sections are surprised at how quickly the doctors get the baby out. What takes a longer time is sewing up the mom. The actual amount of time from the first incision to removing the baby is typically 15 minutes. So, it really is quick! Longer C-sections often indicate that something is going wrong.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends 30 minutes from making the decision to undertake the C-section to actually making the first incision. And in a situation of severe fetal distress, this time should be even shorter in order to prevent injury or trauma to the baby.
So, everything from decision to removing the baby is fast, fast, fast! And that’s good. It means that a dangerous situation is being resolved in the best interests of the mom and her baby.
Medical professionals are aware of the incredibly quick nature of C-sections. Their decision to prolong labor instead of starting the C-section can put many mothers and babies at increased, unnecessary risk.
When medical professionals delay the decision to initiate the C-section or take too long in the actual procedure, many serious consequences result. These can include:
- Birth injury to the baby. Many Cerebral Palsy cases and Brachial Palsy cases could have been prevented with a decision to initiate a C-section. Instead, the baby lingers in the birth canal and is often injured during a forceful deliver.
- Breathing and cardiac issues among the baby
- Disability, impairment and even death for the mother. The United States has poorer outcomes in maternal death than at least 30 other countries. Many times, these deaths would have been prevented with a quicker decision to initiate C-sections.
We evaluate your case to determine if a delayed C-section caused harm, sometimes irreparable to either the baby or the mother. We will help get your family the monetary help you need for the increased expenses and we will also send a lesson to the medical team so that others don’t suffer.
We are in your corner.
We know that we cannot erase the tragedy or heartache that you have suffered. What we can do is help get you the damages you are entitled to, which can help pay for medical and other expenses. Our legal experts will work hard to maximize the value of your settlement.
Our birth trauma legal experts will navigate the many complex issues involved in your case, working for the best possible results for you and your child.
We are a highly-skilled legal team with years of experience, delivering exceptional results to our clients.
If your child was born with a birth injury, call 1-888-8TURNER for a free consultation with a member of our legal staff who will inform you of your options and how we can help you. You can also click here to complete a confidential, online form to receive a free case review.
