Delivery Room Errors and Birth Injury

Labor and delivery are complex processes, and medical staff must make fast and accurate decisions regarding protocol during birth. Medical staff can sometimes make mistakes that jeopardize the health of the baby. Improper fetal monitoring, improper medication choices, improper use of forceps and vacuum extractors, and failure to provide a timely C-section can all cause preventable injury.

Types of Delivery Room Errors

Having a baby is one of the most exciting and anticipated times in people’s lives. Sometimes, however, this happy time can turn tragic when medical errors cause permanent damage to an infant. While birth injuries can occur as a result of improper prenatal care, often they result from delivery room errors made by hospital staff, doctors, or other healthcare professionals. Medical staff must consistently monitor a baby and mother during labor and delivery and, if problems arise, make quick and accurate decisions to ensure their safety. Sadly, this isn’t always the case.

Improper fetal monitoring, failure to take immediate action when problems occur, incorrect medication administration, improper use of delivery instruments (forceps and vacuum extractors), and failure to timely perform c-sections are some of the most common delivery room errors. Sometimes delivery room errors are covered up by health care providers. The results of these errors, unfortunately, can be devastating and cause permanent injury to the newborn child. Some common birth injuries include:

• Brain damage as a result of a lack of oxygen to the baby (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy or “birth asphyxia”)
• Cerebral palsy
• Erb’s palsy or shoulder dystocia
• Forceps or vacuum injuries
• Untreated infection passed from mother to baby in the birth canal, leading to meningitis or encephalitis
• Brain bleeds
• Stroke
• Infection
• Seizures
• Hydrocephalus
• Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)
• Microcephaly
• Developmental delays and learning disabilities

Improper fetal monitoring is a common delivery room error

Proving Delivery Room Errors | Birth Injury Cases

Discovering and understanding the complex events that took place in the delivery room requires not only legal expertise but also solid medical knowledge. At Reiter & Walsh, we work with premiere neurologists, neuroradiologists, obstetricians, labor nurses, child development specialists, therapists, life care planners, forensics experts, and more to identify delivery mistakes and determine the exact cause of a child’s birth injury.  We have solid legal skills in birth injury litigation and an impressive record of success to back it up.

Birth Injury Attorneys Helping Victims of Delivery Room Errors and Birth Injury

At Reiter & Walsh, P.C., our dedicated birth injury lawyers represent victims of delivery errors every day. We are dedicated to helping clients obtain compensation for medical expenses and care to secure the future of their children. Our birth injury attorneys represent clients in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus and throughout the rest of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and the United States. Beyond the Great Lakes Region, our attorneys have represented families in Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Washington D.C., and other states across the country. Our birth injury attorneys are also equipped to handle FTCA (Federal Tort Claims Act) cases involving military medical malpractice and federally funded clinics.

To begin your free case review with our birth injury attorneys and nurses, please contact Reiter & Walsh, P.C. at:

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Video: Delivery Room Errors

Sources:

• Demissie K, Rhoads GG, Smulian JC, et al. Operative vaginal delivery and neonatal and infant adverse outcomes: population based retrospective analysis. BMJ 2004; 329:24.
• Boulet SL, Alexander GR, Salihu HM, Pass M. Macrosomic births in the united states: determinants, outcomes, and proposed grades of risk. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003; 188:1372.
• Nassar AH, Usta IM, Khalil AM, et al. Fetal macrosomia (> or =4500 g): perinatal outcome of 231 cases according to the mode of delivery. J Perinatol 2003; 23:136.
• Cedergren MI. Maternal morbid obesity and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. Obstet Gynecol 2004; 103:219.
• Moczygemba CK, Paramsothy P, Meikle S, et al. Route of delivery and neonatal birth trauma. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010; 202:361.e1.
• Hughes CA, Harley EH, Milmoe G, et al. Birth trauma in the head and neck. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999; 125:193.
• Rosenberg A. Traumatic birth injury. NeoReviews 2003; 4:270.

Related Articles and Blogs from Reiter & Walsh ABC Law Centers:

• “Labor and delivery errors and cover-ups: How to identify them and get help.”
• “Hospitals are banning cameras from the delivery room: Are they trying to hide mistakes?”
• “Medication errors on the rise.”
• “Medical errors involving residents.”
• “Preventable medical errors.”
• “Errors in fetal monitoring may result in birth injuries.”
• “Emergency C-sections: When 30 minutes is not fast enough.”
• “Lack of information, late C-section and delivery room error results in child with developmental delays; Reiter & Walsh negotiate a $2.05 million settlement.”
• “Placental abruption require quick action by medical staff.”
• “Large settlements offered to boys who suffered cerebral palsy as a result of medical staff failing to notice severe complications during labor.”
• “Delayed treatment of infant seizures can cause permanent brain damage.”
• “For two days, physicians fail to diagnose and treat premature rupture of membranes and twin boys are born with permanent disabilities, including cerebral palsy.”
• “Vacuum deliveries: Serious potential risks involved.”
• “Are the risks associated with forceps too great?”
• “Danger: Forceps and vacuum extractors can cause brain injury, says birth injury attorney.”
• “Common delivery drug oxytocin (Pitocin) dangerous, says Michigan birth injury.”
• “Safety concerns cited for oxytocin (Pitocin) use during labor and delivery.”