When Is an Unborn Child Considered “at Risk” for a Birth Injury?

When a woman goes into the delivery process, there are many factors to keep track of. The medical team needs to monitor the mother and the baby’s vitals. They need to make sure their oxygen levels are normal and that the baby faces no complications when being delivered through the birth canal. However, issues during the pregnancy can also put the child at risk of being born with a birth injury.

If your child was born with a birth injury, they may have severe health complications that they’ll live with for the rest of their lives. It can be frustrating to know that it could have been prevented. If a medical care provider acted negligently, they should be held accountable for their actions.

Factors That Increase the Chances of a Birth Injury

Medical care providers are supposed to make sure the expecting mother is healthy so the baby stays healthy. There are a few ways that increase a baby’s chances of being born with a birth injury. Let’s take a look at what puts a baby at risk.

• Premature Birth. If the baby is born prematurely, they could suffer from many health problems. Oxygen deprivation could affect their brain, they could suffer from lacerations or fractures, or their head may swell, which is called caput succedaneum.
• Abnormal Delivery. The baby may be in an abnormal delivery position or the birth may be taking too long, which increases their chances of a birth injury.
• Baby Size. If the baby is too large to go through the birth canal, but the mother tried this type of birthing method, the baby could get stuck and suffer an injury. An emergency cesarean section will be required.
• Health Conditions. The mother may already have health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or being HIV-positive.
• Weight. If the mother is overweight or obese, her pregnancy may have complications. The risk for preeclampsia increases, which is when the mother suffers from organ damage, usually to the liver or kidneys. The mother may also experience other risks like high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, neural tube defects, and cesarean delivery increases. There’s a 15% increase for the infant to have heart problems at birth.
• Multiple Births. Health complications and birth injury chances are higher is there is more than one fetus. If the mother is delivering twins or more babies than that, there’s a chance of premature labor and preeclampsia.
• Age. If the mother is younger or older than the typical age for women to give birth, there’s an increased risk for preeclampsia and gestational high blood pressure.

When medical care providers don’t keep an eye on the above items, the baby may be born with an injury. This could affect how they develop mentally and physically. For example, oxygen deprivation can cause cerebral palsy, which affects a child’s ability to control their muscles. Their cognitive and speech abilities may also be affected. Some birth injuries may directly affect muscular development, which could permanently change the child’s range of motion.

Birth injuries can create health complications that the child will need medical care to treat and maintain a high quality of life. New parents may feel at a loss for what to do because medical care can get expensive and they’re trying to focus on their child’s health. They may wonder how they’re going to afford care for their child, while also worrying about maintaining their jobs. But while they’re trying to balance all this, they also know this could have been prevented and someone was responsible for it. That’s where Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law steps in.

You Can Seek Justice for Your Child in Biloxi

Doctors, nurses, or any other medical professionals are supposed to offer care that helps and brings no harm to the person they’re treating. When they fail to do so because of their negligence, the consequences can be severe. A birth injury can completely change a child and their family’s life. While this can be emotionally difficult, you can get help. We will fight for you to get a fair settlement so you will be able to afford care for your child. You won’t have to worry about financial issues and can put all your attention on giving your child the best life possible. Get in touch with us today to schedule a free consultation.