The Birth Injury Blog

What is a Patient’s Bill of Rights?

A Patient’s Bill of Rights is a document that provides patients with information on how they can reasonably expect to be treated during the course of their hospital stay. These documents are, in almost all cases, not legally-binding. They simply provide goals and expectations for patient treatment. The Patient’s Bills of Rights was recently renamed the Patient...

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Some babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) may have other health issues relating to the failure or dysfunction of other organs, such as the kidneys, liver or intestines. Why is this? Babies who have been impacted by birth asphyxia sometimes demonstrate a reflex called the “mammalian diving reflex.” When oxygen supply is limited around the time...

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Early Intervention for Developmental Delays

The Importance of Catching Developmental Delays Early Children with developmental delays of any kind (especially those due to hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and other preventable birth injuries) require significant support in early childhood and throughout life. As soon as parents suspect developmental delays, they should consult with a pediatrician or specialist to determine the best plan...

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According to a 2006 study by obstetricians and gynecologists Gary D. Hankins, MD, Shannon M. Clark, MD and Mary B. Munn, MD, planned elective cesarean sections can significantly reduce the risk of birth injuries. The doctors studied over 2,100 articles from the national library of medicine. They searched for the following terms: fetal trauma, shoulder dystocia,...

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Birth asphyxia occurs when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen shortly before, during, or after birth. This may be due to an interruption in the transportation of oxygenated blood from a mother to her unborn baby, an issue with blood circulation within the baby’s body, or (if it happens after birth) an airway blockage....

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Exercise may protect babies from the harmful effects of preeclampsia & high blood pressure Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy are very serious conditions that, if mismanaged, can cause a baby to have brain damage and birth injuries such as cerebral palsy. High blood pressure (hypertension) can harm the mother’s kidneys and other organs,...

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