What are the risks associated with a delayed C-section?
While many soon to be parents go into the delivery room with the expectation that they are going to deliver their baby naturally, circumstances sometimes arise that require an expecting mother to have an unplanned or emergency c-section performed. When there is a delay in having a c-section performed, it could result in both the mother and her baby suffering serious or even fatal injuries.
The Difference Between Unplanned and Emergency C-sections
According to WebMD, unplanned c-sections differ from emergency C-sections in that they are “medically urgent” but “the life of the mother or the baby aren’t at risk.” Typically, a mother might need an unplanned emergency c-section when one of the following conditions exist:
- Labor isn’t progressing.
- Contractions are too weak.
- The baby isn’t tolerating labor.
- The baby is sideways or breech when labor begins.
Non-emergency C-sections may begin 30 to 60 minutes after a doctor has determined one is needed. For instance, if labor isn’t progressing but the mother and/or baby is not in distress, he/she may plan for a C-section delivery to be performed. Most mothers are allowed to stay awake during this procedure and should receive a spinal anesthetic, an epidural, or a combination of the two, called a combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSE), so you don’t feel any pain says WebMD.
Emergency C-sections
Emergency C-sections are often needed to be performed when a mother and/or her baby are in “dire stress and immediate delivery is the only option.” WebMD highlights these as some of the common reasons for why doctors perform emergency C-section deliveries:
- Fetal or maternal distress is evident.
- Prolapsed umbilical cord. This means “the umbilical cord drops through the [mother’s] cervix [which places it] ahead of [her] baby.”
- Maternal hemorrhage.
- Placenta abruption. This is when “the placenta peels away from the wall of your uterus.”
- Uterine rupture. This is when “your uterus tears along a previous C-section scar.”
While there are times when C-section deliveries are planned, especially when a mother is expecting more than one child or they have had a C-section delivery in the past, there are those times when C-sections “become essential lifesaving procedures during emergencies.” Unfortunately, there are instances when physicians fail to perform a C-section delivery in a timely manner or neglect to notice the signs that one is needed which results in the mother and/or her unborn baby suffering.
If a C-section was needed during your delivery but your physician failed to perform it in time which left you or your unborn baby harmed, you may have a medical malpractice case that is worth investigating. If you would like to discuss your incident with a skilled Houston, TX medical malpractice lawyer, contact Blizzard Law, PLLC today.
Parents of Baby Who Suffered Fetal Distress Due to Delayed Delivery and Later Died Awarded $1.25 Settlement
When Dayami Hernandez went to a “federally-supported health center,” she alleged that the facility “mismanaged” her labor which resulted in a uterine rupture. Apparently, the doctor left the hospital after administering Pitocin and returned late to perform an emergency C-section after being notified of fetal distress.” As a result, the baby suffered brain damage and passed away 14 months after being born. The parents filed a medical malpractice lawsuit and were later awarded $1.25 million from the U.S. government despite the defense claiming that there was no way the doctor could have prevented the baby from suffering brain damage [Source: Law.com].
What legal recourse does a parent in Houston have after their baby suffers serious or fatal injuries due to a delayed C-section?
When a C-section isn’t performed promptly or a mother’s needs are ignored during what is a routine C-section delivery, her life along with her baby’s could be placed in danger. When a mother must have an unplanned C-section performed, the physician must act quickly before the expecting mother or her baby reach a point of distress. If you or baby suffered an injury during delivery because your doctor neglected to tend to your needs, you should contact the Houston, TX medical malpractice lawyers at Blizzard Law, PLLC as you may have the grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Medical malpractice lawsuits can be filed when a health care worker fails to provide a patient with the standard level of care. The standard level of care is “the degree of care (watchfulness, attention, caution, and prudence) that a reasonable person should exercise under the circumstances. When a doctor deviates from the standard level of care, they are considered to be negligent and can be sued for malpractice.
Now, if you would like an experienced lawyer to explain to you how medical malpractice lawsuits work or to determine if you have a case against a physician in Houston, TX, contact our firm to speak with one of our trusted lawyers.
You can reach Blizzard Law, PLLC at:
5020 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006
Phone: 713-844-3750
Website: www.blizzardlaw.com
