Inexperience, inattention and/or a lack of medical resources can all lead to disaster in a pregnancy.
When doctors or nurses fail to follow the safety rules, or hospitals fail to provide a safe environment for labour and delivery, a range of potentially devastating injuries can result. Some common situations involving lawsuits follow from:
A failure to order or conduct appropriate tests during pregnancy that might have identified birth defects, denying the parents their right to choose to terminate the pregnancy.
Most women experience ongoing changes to their blood pressure throughout pregnancy. However, if a mother’s blood pressure gets too high, it can cause preeclampsia or eclampsia (a more severe form of preeclampsia). These conditions can result in a mother suffering seizures, coma or even death. The baby’s health is also at risk. When pregnancy-induced hypertension is correctly and quickly diagnosed, it can typically be easily managed.
Uterine rupture happens if the wall of the uterus tears during labour. There is a greater risk of a rupture for women who have had a prior C-section, numerous previous births or if the baby is in the breech position. It can also be caused when doctors use medications, like Pitocin or oxytocin, to induce labour. If doctors do not properly diagnose or treat uterine rupture, a mother can suffer severe bleeding. The baby may face cerebral palsy, brain damage or developmental delays. In the worst cases, the mother and baby may die.
Placenta previa happens when the placenta shifts to cover the opening of the cervix. It is often characterized by cramping and vaginal bleeding in the later stages of pregnancy. If it is not properly handled, placenta previa can result in uncontrolled bleeding, which could threaten the lives of both the baby and the mother.
Common injuries during childbirth include tearing of the perineum, anal sphincter and even the rectum. In addition to the physical pain and potential incontinence associated with these injuries, psychological trauma is also common, sometimes resulting from difficulty breast-feeding or engaging in sexual relations.