Can placenta previa cause hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)?
Yes. Placenta previa occurs when the placenta is unusually low in the uterus, near or sometimes covering the cervix. If discovered early in pregnancy, the situation may correct itself naturally, depending on the severity of the previa. If not, the doctor will typically monitor the pregnancy, carefully watching for changes like maternal bleeding, a common complication of placenta previa. The baby will also need to be delivered via C-section. When mismanaged, placenta previa can lead to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), which is brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation.
Mismanaged Placenta Previa, Birth Asphyxia, and Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
The placenta in a normal pregnancy
When a doctor does not accurately diagnose and treat placenta previa, the outcome may be devastating to the infant. Excessive bleeding during pregnancy or labor and delivery can happen and a placental abruption may occur. As a result, the baby may be deprived of oxygenated blood and suffer serious brain damage called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or birth asphyxia. Cerebral palsy, intellectual and developmental disabilities, seizures, and other physical and mental problems may occur.
Trusted Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Attorneys
If your child suffered injuries as a result of undiagnosed or untreated placenta previa, contact a birth injury attorney immediately to discuss the case. At Reiter & Walsh ABC Law Centers, we have extensive experience handling birth injury cases involving placenta previa and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
ABC Law Centers is a national birth injury law firm that has been helping children with birth injuries for over three decades. Partners Jesse Reiter and Rebecca Walsh are currently recognized as two of the best medical malpractice lawyers in America by U.S. News and World Report, which also recognized ABC Law Centers as one of the best medical malpractice firms in the nation. Please reach out today for a free case evaluation. In fact, you pay nothing throughout the legal process until we obtain a verdict or settlement.
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Related Resources
- Placenta Previa: Detailed Overview
- Umbilical Cord Issues
- HIE Help Center
- Reiter & Walsh, P.C.: Practice Areas
Video: Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Lawyers Discuss Birth Asphyxia and HIE
In this video, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy lawyers Jesse Reiter and Rebecca Walsh discuss the causes of HIE, including untreated placenta previa and delayed emergency C-section delivery when the baby is in distress.
